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Endocrinology

News, opinions and meeting coverage in endocrinology.

Metformin and TSH: Is There a Link?

Canadian study suggests raises questions about metformin use in diabetics with underlying hypothyroidism.

ESC: Xarelto Safe for Cardioverting Afib

BARCELONA -- Switching atrial fibrillation patients awaiting elective cardioversion to rivaroxaban (Xarelto) was as safe as warfarin in that setting.

HypoMap: A New Way to Track Hypoglycemia

Keeping accurate tabs on hypoglycemic events is a challenge, since they often happen between clinic visits. But Joslin Diabetes Center and technology company Glooko are trying to change that.

Glucometer Control Test Underused in Diabetes

ORLANDO -- Control solution for ensuring the proper function of glucose meters didn't appear to be a priority among physicians, pharmacists, or patients, researchers reported here.

Patients Want Diabetes-Friendly Meals on the Menu

ORLANDO -- It's easy to find heart-healthy or vegetarian-friendly meals labeled on restaurant menus, but diabetes patients are often left in the dark about options best suited to them.

Vitamin D Blog: Nutrient or Hormone?

Few people view their vitamin D supplement as hormone replacement therapy, but that鈥檚 exactly what it is, experts told 番茄社区.

Tesamorelin May Help HIV Patients Shed Fat

MELBOURNE, Australia -- HIV-infected patients treated with tesamorelin, a growth hormone releasing hormone analog, achieved modest reductions in abdominal and liver fat, researchers said.

Morning Break: The B.O. Talk, No Love for Niacin

Health news and commentary from around the Web, gathered by the 番茄社区 staff.

Friday Feedback: Zero-Tolerance Employment Smoking Bans?

Should hospitals, schools, and companies refuse to hire smokers for teachers and healthcare providers?

Estrogen Alone May Not Suppress Testosterone

CHICAGO -- Simply giving estrogen to male-to-female transgender patients won't completely suppress testosterone levels, researchers reported here.

FDA: No Clear Sign of Harm With Olmesartan in Diabetics

The evidence linking use of the angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) olmesartan in patients with diabetes and increased cardiovascular risk is not conclusive, according to a completed FDA safety review.

Obesity, T2D May Alter Gut Bacteria

CHICAGO -- The portfolio of gut bacteria in patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes may look different from that of healthy people, researchers reported here.

PDE4 Inhibitor May Help PCOS Patients Slim Down

CHICAGO -- Adding the phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor roflumilast to metformin may help obese women with polycystic ovarian syndrome shed pounds and improve other metabolic markers, researchers reported.

AMA Clamps Down on MOC, But Punts on Gun Regs

CHICAGO -- The AMA鈥檚 House of Delegates drew the line on this year's hot button topic -- maintenance of certification (MOC), saying it should not be mandatory, nor should it be a condition of licensure.

Victoza Accused of Causing Pancreatitis

The watchdog group Public Citizen has conducted its own analysis of FDA adverse event reports and concluded that the type 2 diabetes drug liraglutide(Victoza) likely causes pancreatitis, the group said.

Small eGFR Drops May Predict Kidney Outcomes

Declines in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) smaller than those that currently attract clinical attention may help predict the risk of end-stage renal disease, researchers reported.

Edible Dynamite, Cockney Rhyming Medical Slang: That's Improbable!

A weekly report from our friends at Improbable Research.

AUA Offers Guidance for Kidney Stones

ORLANDO -- Treatment tailored to individual patient and stone characteristics provides the basis for an American Urological Association clinical guideline on medical management of kidney stones.

'Bulletproof' Coffee May Hike Lipids

LAS VEGAS -- Spiking coffee with butter and coconut oil -- a concoction known as "bulletproof coffee" -- may be boosting hyperlipidemia in otherwise healthy patients, researchers said here.

'Thyroid' Issues May Really Be Hypothalamic

LAS VEGAS -- Obese patients who continue to have "thyroid symptoms" even when their levels are normalized may have a hypothalamic dysfunction, researchers reported here.

The Day My Brother Became a Statistic

My brother would have turned 37 today. Instead, he became a statistic in 1995.

Dieting Shrinks Liver, Eases Gall Bladder Surgery

CHICAGO -- A 2-week-long restrictive diet appears to shrink obese patients鈥� livers enough to make gall bladder laparoscopic surgery quicker and easier, researchers reported here.

Bed Rest in Pregnancy Raises Diabetes Risk

CHICAGO -- Women who are prescribed long-term bed rest for troubled pregnancies are at increased risk of developing gestational diabetes, researchers said here.

Hypoglycemia at Night Tied to Arrhythmias

Nocturnal hypoglycemia was a major risk factor for cardiac arrhythmias in type 2 diabetes patients who were already at an increased risk for cardiovascular events, according to British researchers.

Forget Glucometers, Use Voodoo Dolls Instead: That's Improbable!

A weekly report from our friends at Improbable Research.

Fatty Liver Tied to Diabetes, Atherosclerosis

LONDON -- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an independent predictor of both type 2 diabetes and carotid atherosclerosis, according to two studies presented here at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver.

Do Fat Teens Face an Early Death?

Life expectancy gains seen over the last half-century do not appear to extend to adults who were overweight or obese in adolescence, according to a large study spanning several decades.

FDA Panel Says Yes to Inhaled Insulin Device

HYATTSVILLE, Md. -- An FDA advisory panel has voted in favor of approving a new inhaled insulin device, Afrezza, as a short-acting treatment to improve glycemic control in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

ACC: Metformin No Help in MI Recovery

WASHINGTON -- Metformin started soon after reperfusion in the acute setting didn't help cardiac function recover in nondiabetic heart attack patients, a trial showed.

Small, Frequent Meals Don't Rev Metabolism

Dieters are often told to eat small, frequent meals instead of two or three bigger meals a day to shed extra pounds, but eating this way does not boost metabolism and may increase cardiovascular disease risk, researchers found.

Higher BMI May Be Better for Older Adults

Adults over 65 at the high end of the healthy body mass index range were at lower risk of mortality, and those at the low end were at highest risk, according to a recent meta-analysis.

Abbott Continues Glucose Meter Recall

Abbott Diabetes Care is continuing its recall of FreeStyle and FreeStyle Flash blood glucose meters because of the potential for erroneous low blood sugar readings, the company said.

Vitamin D Blog: Cutting Edema in Athletes' Bones

Vitamin D supplementation might help professional athletes who are being treated for bone marrow edema with bisphosphonates, according to a new study.

FDA OKs Northera for Hypotension

The FDA has approved droxidopa (Northera) for the treatment of neurogenic orthostatic hypotension, a rare disease that results in a drop in blood pressure when patients try to stand up.

Tamoxifen Found in Bodybuilding Supplement

British researchers have found tamoxifen in supplements used by bodybuilders -- an active ingredient that isn't clearly labeled on the bottle.

Levoxyl Returns, But Will Patients Switch Back?

After being recalled about a year ago for unusual odors, Levoxyl is set to come back on the market in March, but clinicians may not be inclined to switch back, some experts said.

New Guideline Lowers eGFR for Dialysis Start

New Canadian guidelines suggest that nephrologists can wait to start dialysis in some chronic kidney disease patients until their estimated glomerular filtration rate drops below the 10 to 12 mL/min now commonly used.

Tandem Expands Leaky Insulin Cartridge Recall

Tandem Diabetes has expanded a recall of insulin cartridges for its t:slim Insulin Pump that run the risk of leaking, the company said in a statement.

Bodybuilders Bulk Up Using ... Cancer Drugs?

While steroids are all-stars among performance-enhancing drugs, breast cancer drugs are a lesser-known staple of doping regimens, as are some investigational agents that aren't available on any regulated market.

11 Endocrinology Apps for Docs' Toolboxes

Even if endocrinologists aren't already suggesting smartphone apps to their patients, they've likely been asked to offer up recommendations. Here's a list of 11 apps you should know about.

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