Category Archives: Endocrinology

Endocrinology

INDIA NEEDS A SPORTING CULTURE TO EXCEL IN THE WORLD … – Face2News

TWO DAYS CONFERENCE ON ENDOCRINOLOGY CONCLUDES.

Face2News/Chandigarh:

The two-days medical conference named EPIC (Empower Physicians with International Practices in advanced Diabetes Care), concluded here yesterday with a motivational keynote by the Padma Bhushan Olympian Abhinav Bindra.

Abhinav shared his lifes journey and how the sports changed his outlook towards life with various facets of life and character that helped him develop better self-respect, self-discipline, and self-confidence, and more importantly overcome the fear of failure.

One learns to listen to ones coach and other experts and self-analyse ones strengths and weaknesses, and hone the ability to stay in the moment, focussed and determined, through regular practice, he said, which everyone should try to be the best and get better than yesterday.

The conference concluded with a session on Work-Life balance by ex-IAS, author, and TEDx speaker Vivek Atray, who touched upon physical and mental fitness by advising patients to follow creative pursuits and manage their anger and stress through regular meditation, essential to managing the lifestyle disease like diabetes and obesity.

Abhinav responded to the doctors queries on stress, and anxiousness, he said that all conflicts emerge within and it is only through the practice of staying focussed on the moment to accomplish what one wants to do can make a difference.

When asked about the absence of more sportspeople winning medals for the country, Abhinav said that we need to develop a culture of sports with everyone happily participating in games joyfully, and celebrating it, which would encourage more youth to excel for better performance.

Abhinav Bindra along with EPICs organizing chairman Dr. Sanjay Kalra and secretary Dr. Sachin Mittal conferred Lifetime Achievement Award on two stalwarts in the field of endocrinology, Dr. B. S. Bhatia, Prof. Sarita Bajaj, for their contribution in the field.

Earlier the medical sessions covered various aspects of diabetic patients, wherein the cardiologists Dr. HK Bali, Dr Puneet Verma, Dr Rajneesh Mittal, Dr. Soumik Goswami, Dr. Anil Dhall, Dr. Neeraj Bhalla and Dr. Dilip Bhalla, underlined the need for early detection, prevention and treatment of cardio-renal damage to

Dr. Akshata Desai, Dr. Gurpreet Singh, Dr Mani Kant Singla, Dr Savita Kapila, Dr JK Mokta, Do Soham Mukherjee looked at the practical challenges and solutions in the use of insulin for diabetic patients.

The conference concluded with a session on Work-Life balance by ex-IAS, author, and TEDx speaker Vivek Atray, who touched upon physical and mental fitness by advising patients to follow creative pursuits and manage their anger and stress through regular meditation, essential to managing the lifestyle disease like diabetes and obesity.

Dr. Sachin Mittal, organising secretary, said that sensitization of general practitioners towards newer developments in endocrinology was essential and also how different organs affected by diabetes need to be taken care of at an early stage.

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INDIA NEEDS A SPORTING CULTURE TO EXCEL IN THE WORLD ... - Face2News

Endocrinology

The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy on infant growth – News-Medical.Net

A recently accepted article manuscript published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism discussed recent findings on the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in pregnancy on infant growth.

Study:Whats past is prologue: growth in infants born from pregnancies complicated by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Image Credit:MIAStudio/Shutterstock.com

SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy raises concerns about the potential risk of transmission to the fetus and the adverse uterine environment for the growing fetus.

The pressing need for research in this domain was recognized, leading to longitudinal studies on the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during pregnancy and the development of biorepositories.

COVID-19 can cause excess complications in pregnancy, such as prematurity, preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, and a proinflammatory systemic milieu, that may impact lifelong infant health.

A recent study compared longitudinal trajectories of length, weight, and body mass index (BMI) between infants with and without in-utero exposure to SARS-CoV-2.

The investigators excluded mothers vaccinated during the study period to decrease heterogeneity. The study found that SARS-CoV-2-exposed infants had lower BMI at birth, even when adjusted for gestational age and relevant covariates than those without exposure.

Notably, BMI increased rapidly in exposed infants in the first year of life after accounting for factors influencing BMI.

Also, this postnatal increase in BMI was the steepest in those born to those with severe COVID-19. Statistical analyses revealed that low birth weight mediated most effects of COVID-19 on postnatal BMI increase. Although minor changes in length were noticeable, they were not statistically significant.

Measuring infant length is challenging and could be more error-prone in clinical and research settings. Therefore, research data collection and larger samples may better appreciate the impact of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 on infant growth.

A multinational study on neonates with and without in-utero exposure to COVID-19 found that newborns were small. With weight, head circumference, and length being adversely impacted.

Previously, the authors of the present study observed that infants born with lower BMI had a rapid postnatal increase and noted that exposure to poverty or tobacco was associated with the postnatal BMI catch-up. Further, epidemiologic studies report associations between low birth weight and later catch-up with excess cardiometabolic risk during adulthood.

However, they do not establish a causal relationship between rapid gain in infant weight and adverse outcomes later in life. Socioeconomic disparities contributing to adverse health throughout the lifecycle may contribute to this pattern. Thus understanding the long-term risks associated with the rapid weight gain of infants exposed to COVID-19 in-utero is yet to be determined.

Thus, more research is necessary to understand how long the effects of antenatal COVID-19 persist in life after birth. Additionally, identifying protective factors might result in strategies to enhance preventive care in infants after in-utero SARS-CoV-2 exposure.

Written by

Tarun is a writer based in Hyderabad, India. He has a Masters degree in Biotechnology from the University of Hyderabad and is enthusiastic about scientific research. He enjoys reading research papers and literature reviews and is passionate about writing.

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Sai Lomte, Tarun. 2023. The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy on infant growth. News-Medical, viewed 19 April 2023, https://www.news-medical.net/news/20230418/The-impact-of-SARS-CoV-2-infection-in-pregnancy-on-infant-growth.aspx.

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The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy on infant growth - News-Medical.Net

Endocrinology

Research suggests brain receptor linked to PCOS symptoms – Mirage News

Polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS, can cause a range of symptoms, including disrupted menstrual cycles, abdominal obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Its also one of the biggest causes of infertility in fact, many people dont discover they have the condition until they try to become pregnant.

One of the hallmarks of PCOS are elevated levels of hormones produced by the ovaries called androgens. Androgens play important roles in puberty and reproduction in people with ovaries and people with testes.

Researchers are trying to understand why PCOS develops and how androgens lead to negative symptoms. A recent study led by Alexandra Cara, Ph.D., a former graduate student in the U-M Medical Schools Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, used mouse models to take a closer look at hormonal receptors.

If you expose mice to androgens during two critical windows, before birth or around puberty, they will go on to develop different symptoms of PCOS, said Cara, now a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of California, Los Angeles. Some scientists believe prenatal exposure to androgens or endocrine-disrupting chemicals may lead to PCOS in humans as well.

The study, published in the journal Endocrinology, builds on earlier work in which researchers deleted the androgen receptors (which as their name suggests bind to androgens) in mice. They then exposed the animals to excess androgens before they were born. Without androgen receptors, the mice were protected from developing some symptoms of PCOS.

But, explains Cara, androgen receptors are located throughout the body, including the brain, and deleting them all still left the open question of which receptors were implicated for PCOS development.

Cara hypothesized that another type of receptor called the leptin receptor, studied extensively by her principal investigator Carol Elias, Ph.D., may be involved. Previous work found androgen receptors are highly expressed in certain populations of leptin receptor-expressing neurons in the hypothalamus part of the brain that controls the release of hormones. Leptin, a hormone produced by fat tissue, is involved in the regulation of appetite and metabolism.

We know that a subpopulation of people with PCOS are more likely to have diabetes and visceral obesity. We thought leptin could be a good link between metabolism and reproduction and might be influenced by androgen receptor-mediated androgen signaling, she said.

To test this hypothesis, the team exposed mice that had androgen receptors deleted from leptin receptor neurons to excess androgens prenatally. These mice had improvement in some PCOS symptoms including regulation of their estrous cycles (analogous to a menstrual cycle in humans.)

Cara hopes follow up studies will explore androgen exposure around puberty, as this type of model tends to mimic the weight gain found in some people with PCOS.

I hope these mouse studies can find better therapeutic targets for people with PCOS, Cara said. The first intervention offered is lifestyle modification, like diet and exercise, but as anyone with the condition would tell you, that doesnt help everything.

Even with body weight regulation and restoration of menstrual cycles, people can still struggle with getting pregnant. And while anti-androgen drugs can block the hormones in the body, you cant take them when trying to conceive, she noted.

Its hard to have a perfect model of PCOS, but this is the closest weve gotten so far, said Elias. Once we have a good idea what is causing PCOS and how it develops, things get easier to target.

Paper cited: Deletion of Androgen Receptor in LepRb Cells Improves Estrous Cycles in Prenatally Androgenized Mice, Endocrinology. DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqad015

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Research suggests brain receptor linked to PCOS symptoms - Mirage News

Endocrinology

Suicidal Thoughts Decline in Endocrinologists: 2023 Survey – Medscape

Rates of suicidal thoughts and attempted suicide among endocrinologists declined from 2022 and now rank similar to the average rate among physicians overall, but these rates are still higher than the general public, according to survey findings.

The current report about suicide among endocrinologists, entitled, "Doctors' Burden: Endocrinologist Suicide Report 2023," prepared by Medscape, was recently published.

A report about suicide among physicians overall, based on the same survey, entitled, "Doctors' Burden: Medscape Physician Suicide Report 2023," was published previously.

In the 2022 survey of a representative national sample of 13,069 US physicians, 10% of endocrinologists reported having suicidal thoughts, ranking the specialty sixth among 29 medical specialties that year.

The 2023 survey found that in a representative national sample of 9175 US physicians, 8% of endocrinologists reported having suicidal thoughts, roughly the average rate among clinicians overall,ranking it 20th among 29 medical specialties.

The highest rates of thoughts of suicide in the latest survey were reported by physicians in otolaryngology (13%), followed by physicians in psychiatry, family medicine, anesthesiology, obstetrics/gynecology, and emergency medicine (roughly 12% in each specialty).

The rate of attempted suicide was 1% among endocrinologists, which was also the rate among physicians overall.

More female than male endocrinologists reported contemplating suicide (8% versus 5%). In addition, 1% of male endocrinologists reported that they had attempted suicide and 2% of female endocrinologists replied they preferred not to answer the question about attempted suicide.

In contrast, in 2020, an estimated 4.9% of US adults aged 18 and older had serious thoughts about suicideand 0.5% attempted suicide, according to the National Institutes of Health website, the latest report states.

Rates of suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts among physicians overall "are worryingly high numbers," Peter Yellowlees, MBBS, MD, emeritus professor of psychiatry at University of California, Davis Health, and chief executive officer, Asynchealth, said in the report.

In the 2023 survey, half of the endocrinologists who had thought about suicide had confided in a therapist and 41% had spoken to a family member, but none had told a colleague or a friend, or phoned a suicide hotline.

On the other hand, 7% of male and 10% of female endocrinologists, and 9% of male and 11% of female physicians overall reported that a colleague had shared suicidal thoughts with them.

"It's pleasing that physicians overall have shown themselves slightly more likely to bring ideas about suicide to a therapist and less likely to keep their distress entirely to themselves," Yellowlees said.

"It's possible that the need for healthcare is becoming less stigmatized nationally, with large and increasing emphasis on physician well-being during and after the COVID-19 pandemic," he suggested.

Endocrinologists reported that to keep happy and have good mental health, they engaged in activities and hobbies (70%), exercised (66%), spent time with family and friends (63%), got enough sleep (56%), ate healthy (48%), went to therapy (11%), or did other things (8%), which was similar to that reported by physicians overall.

The report lists several resources that are specific for physicians having suicidal thoughts (Physician Support Line, 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, Peer RxMed, International Association for Suicide Prevention, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) along with contact information.

The 2023 survey was conducted from June 28, 2022, to October 3, 2022, and the 2022 survey was conducted from June 29, 2021, to September 26, 2021.

Doctors' Burden: Endocrinologist Suicide Report 2023.

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Suicidal Thoughts Decline in Endocrinologists: 2023 Survey - Medscape

Endocrinology

More than 210 VCU Health doctors recognized as Richmond Top … – VCU Health

Richmond Magazinehas published its annual list of top doctors in the Richmond region. VCU Health made the top of the list with more than 210 providers being featured. There was also a special recognition for one ofVCU Massey Cancer Centers team members.

Vanessa Sheppard, Ph.D., associate director for community outreach and engagement and health disparities research at Massey Cancer Center, was the magazines cover story for this years special edition. Sheppard was named theAmerican Cancer Societys Researcher of the Yearfor her innovative community studies on health disparities and breast cancer. She is also theinaugural interim deanof the recently announced Virginia Commonwealth UniversitySchool of Population Health.

Of the VCU Health providers named to Richmond Magazines list this year, about 20 were listed as Top Docs in multiple specialties, including those serving patients at theChildrens Hospital of Richmond at VCU,VCU Massey Cancer Center,VCU Hume-Lee Transplant CenterandVCU Health Pauley Heart Center.

This special recognition highlights the compassionate care our doctors provide as well as the innovative technology and inclusive approaches they use to treat our patients.

Addiction Medicine

Allergy and Immunology

Anesthesiology

Cardiac Electrophysiology

Cardiology (Interventional)

Dermatology

Emergency Medicine

Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism

Family/General Practice

Gastroenterology

Genetics

Geriatric Medicine

Gynecology/Obstetrics (General)

Hematology and Oncology

Hepatology

Gynecologic Oncology

Hospice Care

HospitalistAdult

Infectious Diseases

Intensivist

Internal Medicine

MaternalFetal Medicine/High-Risk Pregnancy

NeonatalPerinatal Medicine

Nephrology

Neurology

Neurosurgery

Nurse Practitioner

Oncologic Surgery

Ophthalmology and Ophthalmologic Surgery

Optometry

OrthopedicsGeneral

Otolaryngology and Otolaryngologic Surgery

Pain Management

Palliative Care

Pathology

Pediatric Adolescent Medicine

Pediatric Allergy/Immunology

Pediatric Cardiology

Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Pediatric Endocrinology

Pediatric Gastroenterology

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

Pediatric Hospitalist

Pediatric Infectious Disease

Pediatric Intensivist

Pediatric Nephrology

Pediatric Neurology

Pediatric Otolaryngology

Pediatric Palliative and Hospice Care

Pediatric Pulmonology

Pediatric Rheumatology

Pediatrics (General)

Pediatrics Neurodevelopmental/Behavioral

Pediatric Sports Medicine

Pediatric Surgery (General)

Pediatric Surgical Specialist

Pediatric Urology

Pediatrics Child Abuse

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Physician Assistant

Plastic/Cosmetic Surgery

Plastic/Reconstructive Surgery

Podiatry

Psychiatry/Adult

Psychiatry/Child and Adolescent

Psychiatry/Geriatric

Psychology (Doctor of Psychology)

Pulmonology

Radiation Oncology

Radiology Diagnostic

Radiology Interventional

Reproductive Endocrinology/Infertility

Rheumatology

Sleep Medicine

Sports Medicine

Surgery (Bariatric)

Surgery (Breast)

Surgery (Cardiac)

Surgery (Colon and Rectal)

Surgery (General)

Surgery (Hand)

Surgery (Mohs, Skin Cancer)

Surgery (Orthopedic)

Surgery (Spine)

Surgery (Thoracic)

Surgery (Transplant)

Surgery (Trauma)

Surgery (Vascular)

Urogynecology

Urology and Urological Surgery

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Endocrinology

Another Epidemic: Pediatric Obesity – McLeod Health

3 APRIL 2023

By Lisa Woodberry, NP, McLeod Pediatric Endocrinology

The National Center for Health Statistics reports that the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity has tripled since the 1970s. In Americas health rankings for obesity by state, South Carolina ranked 36th with 36.1% of the adult population in 2021, according to the United Health Foundation.

The American Medical Association declared obesity a disease in 2012. Before that declaration, obesity was not a covered complaint when seeking medical help.

Pediatric Obesity in the modern sense refers to children who are both overweight and obese, as identified by their Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is calculated by dividing a childs weight by their height. Overweight is defined as a BMI at or above the 85th percentile and lower than the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex. Obesity is defined as a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for children of the same age and sex. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website has a BMI Percentile Calculator for Children and Teens at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/bmi/calculator.html.

Medical Complications

Children who are obese often suffer from depression and bullying. In addition, it can cause endocrine, cardiovascular, orthopedic, renal, pulmonary, neurological, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and psychosocial problems in children. It can also increase the risk of developing a hernia, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), stress incontinence, and gynecological malignancy.

Additionally, obese children will likely become obese adults. If a preschooler is obese, they have a 33% chance that they will be obese as an adult. A school ager has a 50% risk, and an adolescent has an 80-90% risk. Adult obesity is associated with numerous health problems including Type II diabetes, coronary artery disease, hypertension, cancer, joint disease, gallbladder disease, and pulmonary disease.

Causes

There are many causes of pediatric obesity, including a strong family history of obesity. In addition, we know that weight is gained by an energy imbalance when calorie intake is increased and physical activity is decreased. In todays culture, junk food is both easily accessible and heavily promoted by celebrities with sponsorships. Families are on-the-go and often find it easier to get a meal at a fast food drive-through. The lure of electronic devices, television, and video games can outweigh the old-fashioned ways we used to play outside.

Prevention

Prevention is the key, and prevention actually begins prenatally. Gestational diabetes and maternal smoking can predispose children to become obese. After that, we need to be aware of our childrens Body Mass Index (BMI) and raise concerns if it begins to rapidly increase. If your family has a history of obesity, your child also has a greater risk of becoming obese: 30% chance if one parent, 90% chance if both parents are obese.

Nutritional guidance is also important and needs to be a family effort. Encourage children to drink water and limit sweet beverages. Fruits and vegetables are filling and lower-calorie alternatives. Sticking to structured mealtimes and eating as a family also help children stay on track.

Engage children in active play and physical activity instead of more sedentary activities like watching television or playing on the computer or video games.

Parents need to be positive role models. Eating healthy needs to be a family priority, not just something the children stick to. Limit both eating out and eating in front of the television.

Managing Pediatric Obesity

Treatment can start with a physical exam by the childs physician and setting obtainable goals. Education is necessary to achieve those goals, and counseling may help as well. Your child may also be referred to a pediatric endocrinologist for specialized care tailored to your childs goals and needs.

Know your childs health risks and stay proactive in keeping them healthy.

Commonly Treated Conditions by Pediatric Endocrinologists

Pediatric Endocrinologists also treat a variety of conditions, including diabetes, pre-diabetes (insulin resistance), hypoglycemia, growth problems (such as short stature), early or delayed puberty, enlarged thyroid gland (goiter), underactive or overactive thyroid gland, pituitary gland hypo/hyper function, adrenal gland hypo/hyper function, Ambiguous genitals/intersex, ovarian and testicular dysfunction and obesity.

Lisa Woodberry is a Nurse Practitioner with McLeod Pediatric Endocrinology, located in McLeod Medical Park East at 101 William H. Johnson Street, Suite 300. They can be reached by calling (843) 777-5701.

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Another Epidemic: Pediatric Obesity - McLeod Health