Volume 5 Issue 3, March 2009

Increasing demand for fertility treatment seems to correlate with declining semen quality among young men. The factors that cause impaired male reproductive capacity remain to be elucidated. Here, Nordström Joensen et al. suggest that early environmental exposure to endocrine disruptors could promote development of conditions such as testicular dysgenesis syndrome.

Oral and transdermal estrogen therapies are both routinely used to treat menopausal symptoms, but there are multiple differences between their physiological effects. The author of this Viewpoint compares the pharmacodynamics of oral and nonoral estradiol therapies, and discusses the most important risk factors to consider when using either administration route.

Idiopathic short stature (ISS) describes a group of conditions associated with subnormal growth in the absence of an obvious cause. ISS represents an important problem in pediatric endocrinology; however, its heterogeneous nature can make clinical management difficult. Here, the possible merits of growth-hormone therapy for children with ISS are discussed.

Diabetic dyslipidemia, characterized by low HDL cholesterol level and high levels of triglyceride and small dense, LDL cholesterol, greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Given the complexity of the dyslipidemic profile, multiple agents are often required to achieve therapeutic goals. This Review discusses the use of various pharmacological agents as well as lifestyle changes for the treatment of dyslipidemia in diabetes mellitus.

The rapid obesity surge in industrialized countries is attributed to genetic susceptibility and environmental factors; however, the primary defects that lead to obesity are still largely unknown. This Review summarizes our current knowledge about the neuronal populations and intracellular signaling molecules that are involved in maintaining normal body weight.

Generalized arterial calcification of infancy is a rare and often fatal genetic disorder, for which no formalized treatment approach exists. This article describes a case where treatment with nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates resulted in normalization of the arterial structure.

Cyclic Cushing syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by periodic fluctuations in adrenal cortisol secretion, with phases of hypercortisolism alternating with periods of normal or low cortisol production. This Case Study discusses diagnostic challenges and treatment options in a patient with cyclic Cushing syndrome due to an ectopic pituitary adenoma.