Table of contents
February 2008 Volume 4 No 2
Editorial
Viewpoint
The role of hormone replacement therapy in the management of premature ovarian failure
60Premature ovarian failure (POF) generally occurs before 40 years of age and is characterized by amenorrhea and follicle-stimulating hormone levels within the menopausal range. Variations in the endogenous estradiol levels can also occur. The potential risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy for women with POF are discussed in this Viewpoint.
doi:10.1038/ncpendmet0699 | Full Text | PDF (129K)
Research Highlights
18F-DOPA PET for diagnosis and localization of focal congenital hyperinsulinism
62B-Raf Val600Glu mutations and clinical outcome in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma
62Recovery of normal GH secretion in patients with nonacquired, childhood-onset GHD
62Low testosterone levels linked to increased mortality
63Does the incidence of subclinical hypothyroidism increase with advancing age?
63HRT restores exercise capacity and flow-mediated vasodilation in postmenopausal women
64Electrical nerve stimulation therapy for chronic low back pain caused by multiple fractures
64Analysis of the phenotypic spectrum of polycystic ovary syndrome
64Causes of pregnancy loss differ between women with type 1 and those with type 2 diabetes
65OGTT should be performed when patients with acute myocardial infarction are discharged
65Postmenopausal breast cancer risk with weight gain in nonusers of HRT
66A population screening strategy for familial hypercholesterolemia
66A case manager improves standard of care after hip fracture
67Practice Points
Validation of growth-hormone-releasing peptide 2 for the diagnosis of adult growth hormone deficiency
68doi:10.1038/ncpendmet0679 | Full Text | PDF (128K)
Could improved ultrasound and power Doppler replace thyroidal radioiodine uptake to assess thyroid disease?
70doi:10.1038/ncpendmet0692 | Full Text | PDF (126K)
Diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus—a comparison of two screening tests. Which is the way ahead?
72doi:10.1038/ncpendmet0696 | Full Text | PDF (126K)
Can a single growth hormone level be used to assess disease activity after treatment of acromegaly?
74doi:10.1038/ncpendmet0697 | Full Text | PDF (124K)
Diagnosis of pediatric Cushing's syndrome—which test is best?
76doi:10.1038/ncpendmet0701 | Full Text | PDF (125K)
Does growth hormone therapy before 4 years of age enhance the linear growth of girls with Turner's syndrome?
78doi:10.1038/ncpendmet0678 | Full Text | PDF (127K)
Reviews
Unexpected actions of vitamin D: new perspectives on the regulation of innate and adaptive immunity
80Beyond the classical effects of vitamin D on bone and calcium homeostasis, nonclassical effects in cancer and cardiovascular disease are emerging. This article details another important nonclassical role for vitamin D in regulating both innate and adaptive immunity, and how this can become compromised by vitamin D insufficiency.
doi:10.1038/ncpendmet0716 | Full Text | PDF (324K)
Drug Insight: selective agonists and antagonists of the glucocorticoid receptor
91Glucocorticoids are the most potent, most widely prescribed anti-inflammatory agents, but also exert many important metabolic effects. This article describes how insights into the complex mechanisms of action of the glucocorticoid receptor are helping the systematic search for drugs that separate desirable effects of glucocorticoids from undesirable effects.
doi:10.1038/ncpendmet0745 | Full Text | PDF (357K)
Therapy Insight: metabolic and endocrine disorders in sickle cell disease
102Patients with sickle-cell disease can suffer both from the direct consequences of the disease and from iron overload due to repeated transfusions. As described in this article, a wide range of endocrine, metabolic and nutritional abnormalities are found in this patient group, and often occur before iron overload is evident.
doi:10.1038/ncpendmet0702 | Full Text | PDF (239K)
Case Study
Extra-adrenal and adrenal pheochromocytomas associated with a germline SDHC mutation
Mariola P
czkowska,
Alberto Cascon,
Aleksander Prejbisz,
Agata Kubaszek,
Jaros
aw B 
wika,
Mariusz Furmanek,
Zoran Erlic,
Charis Eng,
Andrzej Januszewicz
and
Hartmut PH Neumann
There is a high frequency of germline mutations in patients with pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas. This article describes a patient with a pheochromocytoma and a novel SDHC mutation. The authors highlight the importance of genetic testing in patients with the pheochromocytoma–paraganglioma syndrome.
doi:10.1038/ncpendmet0726 | Full Text | PDF (366K)
