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Management of diabetes mellitus is occasionally confounded by lack of understanding on the part of physicians and patients of issues surrounding the risks and benefits of antidiabetic drugs. The need for adequately powered outcome studies that minimize the effects of the unknown on prescribing habits in diabetes care is debated.
Age-related declines in dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate concentration parallel the physical and cognitive changes of aging. This observation suggests that these events are causally related and that replacement therapy might have beneficial effects in the elderly. The authors of this Viewpoint consider the evidence for, and against, such an approach.
Between 20% and 40% of patients with diabetes ultimately develop nephropathy. The bank of data on the multiple and complex mechanisms, disease markers and disease progression continues to grow. This article provides an overview of the current status of findings relating to underlying mechanisms and genetic susceptibility.
Autoimmune thyroiditis, which manifests as Hashimoto thyroiditis and Graves disease among other forms, is an inflammatory disorder of the thyroid gland. Various environmental factors interact with susceptibility genes and seem to be associated with disease initiation and to influence duration and severity. This Review summarizes the currently available information and highlights the areas that urgently require further study.
Thyroid stimulation in Graves disease is caused by antibodies to the TSH receptor that have thyroid-stimulating or thyroid-blocking activity. Antibody detection can aid diagnosis and prediction of outcomes of the disease, as well as prediction of the course of associated ophthalmology. In this Review, Ajjan and Weetman describe the different measurement techniques available and their clinical applications.
Struma ovarii is a rare tumor, characterized by the presence of thyroid tissue in an ovarian teratoma. In this article Yassa et al. describe a patient who presented to her gynecologist with a pelvic mass, which was found to be a malignant struma ovarii. The investigations and treatment options for this tumor are described.
