Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism Commons^™

Microbiota: The Missing Link In The Etiology Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Micu Ioan Sergiu, Madalina Elena Manea, Musat Marilena, Dumitru Andrada, Popoiag Roxana Emanuela

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Within its twisted and tight walls, where a hostile and arid environment prevails, the lumen of the digestive tract nests a true microuniverse called the microbiota. The existing relationship between humans and these microorganisms is one in which both benefit, creating a condition called Eubiosis.

The dynamic relationship existing between the microbiota and the human body can be affected at various times, leading to an imbalance that may have important implications on health and generating a condition called Disbiosis.

Recent studies have highlighted possible links between several diseases with incompletely elucidated etiology and disturbances of the microbiota. In this review …

The Role Of Biotransformation Processes In Mediating Interactions Between Psychotropic Drugs And Natural Products, Nicolae Bacinschi, Ina Pogonea, Lilia Podgurschi, Maria Mihalachi-Anghel, Emil Ștefănescu, Bogdan Socea, Marin Chianu

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Many patients are not aware that natural products such as fruit juices or plant infusions can cause significant interactions with several drugs, some of which can be dangerous, especially when the medical treatment is for neurological or psychiatric disorders. Among the most predisposed for interacting with drugs are citric juices, particularly grapefruit and plant infusions, especially St John`s wort (Hypericum perforatum). Understanding the mechanism and the frequency of this type of interaction helps to avoid it. The goal of this research was to identify and summarize the most relevant reports on interactions between psychotropic drugs and natural beverages, in order …

Anorexia Nervosa And Reproduction: Connecting Brain To Gonads, Mihaela Poterasu, David L. Rowland, Corina Ciobanu, Simona Fica

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric disorder that predominantly affects young women and is characterized by low caloric intake and a major dissatisfaction with one’s body image. It is often overlooked and, while patients and family seek medical help, emaciation and nutritional misbalances may become extreme and potentially life threatening. Among the many somatic complications, an accumulation of early endocrine adaptations occurs, leading to functional amenorrhea and impaired reproduction as a result of dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. Even though these conditions are reversible, long-term consequences may affect the fertility of women with AN and can lead to maternal and …

Primary Hyperparathyroidism Can Generate Recurrent Pancreatitis And Secondary Diabetes Mellitus – A Case Report, Nicoleta Mîndrescu, Georgeta Văcaru, Emil Ștefănescu, Loreta Guja, Rucsandra Elena Dănciulescu Miulescu

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Introduction. Acute or recurrent pancreatitis may be a complication of primary hyperparathyroidism and patients with previous episodes of pancreatitis may develop secondary diabetes mellitus. Case report. We describe the clinical case of a 52-year old Caucasian man diagnosed with chronic recurrent pancreatitis in 2007. The first episode of acute pancreatitis occurred in 2002, followed by another 4 episodes in 2004 and 2007. In 2004, papilosfincterectomy was implemented with a stent mount that was removed one month later. In 2005, the patient underwent a surgical intervention for the diagnosis of chronic lithiasis, and cholecystectomy was performed. Additional investigations on the etiology …

Pheochromocytoma – Clinical Manifestations, Diagnosis And Current Perioperative Management, Maria Manea, Dragos R. Marcu, Ovidiu G. Bratu, Ana M. Stanescu, Anca Pantea Stoian, Mihnea A. Gaman, Camelia C. Diaconu

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Pheochromocytoma is a neuroendocrine tumor characterized by the excessive production of catecholamines (epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine). The diagnosis is suspected due to hypertensive paroxysms, associated with vegetative phenomena, due to the catecholaminergic hypersecretion. Diagnosis involves biochemical tests that reveal elevated levels of catecholamine metabolites (metanephrine and normetanephrine). Functional imaging, such as 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy (123I-MIBG), has increased specificity in identifying the catecholamine-producing tumor and its metastases. The gold-standard treatment for patients with pheochromocytoma is represented by the surgical removal of the tumor. Before surgical resection, it is important to optimize blood pressure and intravascular volume in order to avoid negative hemodynamic …

The Burden Of Clostridium Difficile Infection In Patients With Liver Cirrhosis, Despina Moraru, Andrada Dumitru, Sergiu I. Micu, Marilena Musat, Gabriel Preda, Popoiag R. Emanuela

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Clostridium Difficile Infection (CDI) has registered a dramatically increasing incidence in the general population over the past decades. Nowadays, Clostridium Difficile is the leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea in Europe and North America. Liver cirrhosis is the final stage of any chronic liver disease (CLD). The most common causes are chronic hepatitis C or B and viral co-infections, alcohol misuse, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). CLD and cirrhosis are listed among the ten leading causes of death in the US. Cirrhosis due to any etiology disrupts the homeostatic role of the liver in the body. Cirrhosis-associated immune dysfunction (CAID) …

Alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis, More Than A Simple Hepatic Disease – A Brief Review Of The Risk Factors Associated With Alcohol Abuse, Sergiu I. Micu, Madalina E. Manea, Roxana Popoiag, Dragana Nikolic, Dumitru Andrada, Angelo M. Patti, Marilena Musat, Cristian Balalau, Anca Rogoveanu, Manfredi Rizzo, Anca Pantea Stoian

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Liver cirrhosis is a significant public health problem, being an important cause of mortality and morbidity, responsible for approximately 1.8% of the total number of deaths in Europe. Chronic alcohol consumption is the most common cause of liver cirrhosis in developed countries. Europe has the highest level of alcohol consumption among all the global World Health Organisation (WHO) regions. In this paper, we briefly review major factors leading to excessive alcohol consumption in order to draw attention to the fact that alcoholic liver cirrhosis is more than a simple liver disease, and if those risk/causal factors can be prevented, the …

The Evaluation Of Liver Fibrosis Regression In Chronic Hepatitis C Patients After The Treatment With Direct-Acting Antiviral Agents – A Review Of The Literature, Olga H. Orasan, George Ciulei, Sorina C. Coste, Bianca A. Cibu, Adela V. S Taut, Simina F. Tarmure, Iulia O. Pfingstgraf, Teodora G. Alexescu, Ionela E. Popovici, Flaviu Mureșan, Fabian Ovidiu, Vasile Negrean, Angela Cozma

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

The second-generation of direct-acting antiviral agents are the current treatment for chronic viral hepatitis C infection. To evaluate the regression of liver fibrosis in patients receiving this therapy, liver biopsy remains the most accurate method, but the invasiveness of this procedure is its major drawback. Different non-invasive tests have been used to study changes in the stage of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic viral hepatitis treated with the second-generation of direct-acting antiviral agents: liver stiffness measurements (with transient elastography or acoustic radiation force impulse elastography) or different scores that use serum markers to calculate a fibrosis score. We prepared …

Modern Concepts In Non-Surgical Esthetics; A Review, Anca Pantea Stoian, Razvan Hainarosie, Catalina Pietrosanu, Andreea Rusescu, Liliana F. Andronache, Stana Paunica, Cristian Balalau, Teodora S. Pituru

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

New non-surgical esthetics is the most dynamic field in contemporary medicine. At the same time, it is greatly influenced by our contemporary society. This paper reviews modern methods used in non-surgical esthetics, especially in Romania. From injectology and non-surgical face lifting to non-surgical body contouring, we analyzed all procedures performed by Romanian physicians, and we show the advantages and disadvantages of the advanced esthetic procedures. Injectology typically implies hyaluronic acid, botox and mesotherapy (for wrinkles and rejuvenation). Laser and radiofrequency treatment are used for wrinkles as well, with fewer unwanted adverse reactions and results exceeding those of injectables. Non-surgical lifting …

Cardio Metabolic Risk Factors For Atrial Fibrillation In Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Focus On Hypertension, Metabolic Syndrome And Obesity, Mihnea-Alexandru Gaman, Elena-Codruta Dobrica, Emilia G. Pascu, Matei-Alexandru Cozma, Mirela-Elena Epingeac, Amelia M. Gaman, Anca M. Pantea Stoian, Ovidiu G. Bratu, Camelia C. Diaconu

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Objective. Atrial fibrillation (AF) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been little explored so far. However, there are several cardio metabolic risk factors for AF in T2DM patients, such as arterial hypertension, obesity or the metabolic syndrome. Our objective was to evaluate cardio metabolic risk factors for AF in T2DM patients. Methods. We studied the medical records of T2DM patients hospitalized in the Internal Medicine department of an emergency referral hospital in Bucharest, Romania. The study was observational, retrospective and carried out between January-June 2018. Results. The study group included 221 T2DM patients (with a mean age of 68.65 …

Early Maladjustment Schemas In Individuals With And Without Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Fazlolah Mirdrikvand, Mohamad Ali Sepahvandi, Siamak Khodarahimi, Simin Gholamrezaei, Mojtaba Rahimian Bougar, Pejman Shafikhani

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Objective. This study explored Early Maladjustment Schemas (EMSs) among individuals with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus and examined potential moderating roles for gender, level of education, and occupation.

Methods. The sample included 371 adult participants (120 patients with diabetes and 251 individuals without diabetes), from Shiraz City, Fars province; Iran. The Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form (YSQ-SF) was used to assess early maladjustment schemas.

Results. Findings showed that patients with type 2 diabetes had significantly higher scores than controls on a number of EMSs, including abandonment, failure, vulnerability, enmeshment, self-sacrifice, entitlement, and insufficient self-control schemas as well as the over-vigilance …

Postpartum Depression And Thyroid Dysfunction– Should Pregnant Women Be Screened For Thyroid Disorders?, Anca A. Simionescu, Erika Marin

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

The relationship between thyroid dysfunction and postpartum depression has been investigated for quite some time now, but no consensus has been reached regarding the need for screening for thyroid function during pregnancy. This paper aims to investigate whether thyroid hormone screening in pregnancy might contribute to the diagnosis of postpartum depression.

Depression was assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) - one of the most widely used measures in detecting postpartum depression and anxiety. Thyroid function was measured using the commonly recommended thyroid laboratory tests.

A structured questionnaire was given to 61 patients closely monitored during their pregnancy and …

Serum Markers Of Bone Fragility In Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus, Rucsandra Dănciulescu Miulescu, Loreta Guja, Lavinia Claudia Ochiana, Anca Ungurianu, Oana Cristina Șeremet, Emil Ștefănescu

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have normal or increased bone mineral density (BMD) but despite that, they are characterized by an increased hip and vertebral fracture risk that involves the alteration of bone quality and not the reduction in bone mass. BMD is utilized for the diagnosis and evaluation of osteoporosis, but BMD itself cannot provide an accurate diagnosis of the individuals at increased risk of fracture and, therefore, studies have focused on identifying other risk factors that are partially or fully independent of BMD.

The fracture risk score tool-FRAX® models provide information about a 10-year probability of osteoporotic …

Immune And Inflammatory Pathways In Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (Nash). An Update, Sorina Cezara Coste, Ionela Popovici, Andreea Maria Stefan, Iulia Breaban, Adela Sitar Taut, Simina Tarmure Sarlea, Angela Cozma, Dorel Sampelean, Olga Hilda Orasan, Vasile Negrean, Lucia Maria Procopciuc

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), also known as fatty liver disease (FLD), is a major public health problem. It is considered to be the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. Chronic inflammation of the liver is an essential key in the progression from simple hepatic steatosis to steatohepatitis, the evolutionary stage of fatty liver disease. Moreover, the innate immune system plays a crucial role in the progression of hepatic inflammation. For this reason, it is of utmost importance to elucidate the connections between immune mechanisms, Toll-like receptor cytokine signalling, in order to find new effective treatments. Further studies are necessary to test …

Management Options In The Sudden Hearing Loss Of A Diabetic Patient, Andreea Rusescu, Viorel Zainea, Oana Ruxandra Iana, Irina Ioniță, George Traian Alexandru Burcea-Dragomiroiu, Dragos Cristian Ștefănescu, Dumitru Cristinel Badiu, Florentina Gherghiceanu, Catalina Pietrosanu, Corina Silvia Pop, Razvan Hainarosie, Mura Hainarosie

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

The aim of our paper is to highlight the main therapeutic principles and the management options in the case of a diabetic patient who has had a sudden hearing loss. Mainly, the aim is to underline the sudden hearing loss treatment adjustment of the diabetic patient compared to the non-diabetic patient.

By understanding the mechanism of sudden hearing loss in a diabetic patient, namely the impact of glycemic variations and their implication on the microvascular structures of the inner ear, we try to underline the treatment principles and management options of the previously mentioned combined pathologies.

Thus, it is necessary …

Functional Radical Cervical Dissection For Differentiated Thyroid Cancer: The Experience Of A Single Center, Tulin Adrian, Lucian Alecu, Catalina Poiana, Luminita Tomescu, Iulian Slavu, Raluca Tulin, Silviu Pituru, Cristina Orlov, Radu Jecan, Balalau Cristian, Anca Pantea Stoian, Razvan Hainarosie, Cornelia Nitipir

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

There is ongoing debate regarding the role of neck dissection in differentiated thyroid cancer, about its usefulness in elective settings, and the increased costs regarding morbidity and operative time. This retrospective study aimed to determine the rate of metastases in cervical lymph nodes, to examine the morbidity of this surgery, and to assess whether a pattern of distribution of tumor cells concerning neck lymphatic compartments exists. The most frequent type of cancer to metastasize was papillary cancer, the majority of patients were young with a median of 30 years, predominantly females. Differentiated thyroid cancer frequently metastasizes to the central and …

Pancreatogenic Type 3c Diabetes, Anca Mihaela Pantea Stoian, Giorgiana Ditu, Mircea Diculescu, Mircea Manuc, Andra Iulia Suceveanu, Dana Manuc, Camelia C. Diaconu, Adrian Paul Suceveanu, Cornelia Nitipir, Razvan Hainarosie, Catalina Poiana, Cristian Serafinceanu

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

Background. The relationship between chronic pancreatitis and diabetes is well established. This form of diabetes is secondary to exocrine pancreatic disorder and is known as diabetes mellitus type 3c (T3cDM).

Materials and Methods. In this retrospective study we included 261 patients, 59 patients being diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis and secondary diabetes mellitus, and admitted in the Fundeni Clinical Institute, 2nd Department of Gastroenterology or N.C. Paulescu Institute/ Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy.

Results and Discussions. Patients were 22.2% women and 77.8% men, with an average age of 56.8 years and 53.4 years respectively. 63% came from urban areas. …

Unmodifiable Variables Related To Thyroid Cancer Incidence, Cornelia Nitipir, Lucian Alecu, Iulian Slavu, Raluca Tulin, Radu C. Jecan, Cristina Orlov, Silviu Pituru, Dana L. Stanculeanu, Razvan Hainarosie, Anca P. Stoian, Adrian Tulin

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

The incidence of thyroid cancer is significantly different between male and female patients. Thyroid cancer is also the only form of cancer where age can be considered a staging variable. Identifying biological prognostic factors such as age or sex is important as it helps select an optimal personalized therapy. The present analysis is an observational, prospective study that enrolled all patients with thyroid disease who were operated upon at a single center. The study aimed to determine the most frequent age at presentation, the predominance of one sex over the other, the incidence of malignant thyroid disease, and the relative …

The Postfinasteride Syndrome; An Overview, David L. Rowland, Ion G. Motofei, Florian Popa, Vlad D. Constantin, Adriana Vasilache, Ioana Păunică, Cristian Bălălău, Georgeta P. Păunică, Petrisor Banu, Stana Păunică

Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences

As a 5-α reductase inhibitor, Finasteride has proven effective in ameliorating two conditions documented to be androgen dependent, namely male androgenic alopecia and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Therapeutic results are maintained as long as the drug is administered, with treatment cessation generally leading to the return of symptomatology for each condition. In addition, during the therapeutic phase, several adverse effects have been reported, some of which persist long or indefinitely after treatment cessation, known as “post-finasteride syndrome.”

Herein we present and discuss the most common finasteride side effects, along with a psycho-neuroendocrine rationale that could explain the persistence of many adverse …

The Effects Of Nutrition And Physical Activity Education On Knowledge And Glycemic Control Among Persons With Type 2 Diabetes, Alexandra Harris

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Diabetes affects millions of people worldwide. Approximately 29.1 million people or 9.3% of the United States population has diabetes (Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 2014). Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the United States in 2010 and is projected by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be the seventh leading cause of death globally by 2030. The purpose of this evidence-based project was to provide nutrition and physical activity education in an effort to improve diabetes knowledge and glycemic control among persons with type 2 diabetes. Hemoglobin A1c levels and Diabetes Knowledge Test scores were compared from …