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Background: Circulating apolipoprotein J (ApoJ) is closely associated with insulin resistance; however, the effect of exercise on circulating ApoJ levels and the association of ApoJ with metabolic indices remain unknown. Here, we investigated whether a combined exercise can alter the circulating ApoJ level, and whether these changes are associated with metabolic indices in pa tients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: Postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomly assigned into either an exercise (EXE, n=30) or control (CON, n=15) group. Participants in the EXE group were enrolled in a 12-week program consisting of a combination of aerobic and resistance exercises. At baseline, 4, 8, and 12 weeks, body composition and metabolic parameters including homeo static model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and serum ApoJ levels were assessed. Results: In the EXE group, ApoJ levels decreased 26.3% and 19.4%, relative to baseline, at 8 and 12 weeks, respectively. Between-group differences were significant at 8 and 12 weeks (P

Background Metabolic syndrome (MetS), a pro-inflammatory state, has become increasingly common worldwide and is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Recently, studies on the relationships among inflammation, mental health, quality of life, and other diseases have been conducted. Methods We investigated the relationship between serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels, as an indicator of inflammation, and the quality of life and psychiatric symptoms of Korean adults with MetS. The analysis used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a cross-sectional survey of Korean civilians conducted from January to December 2015. Data from 1600 participants were analyzed in this study. Quality of life was assessed using the EuroQol 5-dimension (EQ-5D) instrument. Results Serum hs-CRP levels showed a significant inverse correlation with the EQ-5D index of the overall quality of life. High serum hs-CRP levels were positively associated with mobility problems and suicidal ideation in adults with MetS (multivariate-adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–2.66, p = 0.036; and multivariate-adjusted OR 2.48, 95% CI 1.23–4.99, p = 0.011). Conclusions These findings suggest that the elevated inflammatory status in MetS is associated with decreased quality of life and mental health problems. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm the impact of inflammation on the quality of life and mental health of adults with MetS.

We identified a rare follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) metastasis to the pancreas in a patient of FTC. A 65-year-old woman presented at our hospital for evaluation of a pancreatic mass. She had a history of FTC. After total thyroidectomy, I-131 whole body scan showed increased I-131 uptake in the thyroid bed, but there was no evidence of distant metastasis. However, F-18 FDG PET/CT showed a mass with FDG uptake in the pancreatic head. Follow-up PET/CT showed FDG uptake in the pancreatic head and thyroid bed. Pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed. Histopathological examination supported the diagnosis of metastatic FTC to pancreas.

Adrenal hemangiomas are rare non-functioning tumors that originate from the retroperitoneal organs. They are generally asymptomatic, and are usually discovered at autopsy. In 1955, Johnson and Jeppensen reported the first case of a surgically removed adrenal hemangioma. We report a case of adrenal hemangioma that mimicked a pancreatic tail tumor, as detected by computed tomography. We made a diagnosis of an adrenal hemangioma from endoscopic ultrasonography and confirmed the diagnosis following a laparascopic adrenalectomy. If one is suspicious of an adrenal hemangioma, one needs to assess the lesion from every aspect. With the advancement of diagnostic techniques in arteriography, ultrasound, and computed tomography, the frequency of preoperative recognition and diagnosis is on the increase. Still, it is difficult to diagnose an adrenal hemangioma just from an imaging study. One should consider performing surgery for removal of the tumor to rule out a malignancy, and to prevent traumatic rupture. With the case presentation, we review the clinical, radiographic, and pathological features of adrenal hemangiomas. (J Kor Endocr Soc 23:62~65, 2008) ꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏ

Background: Serum cystatin C has been repor ted as a better marker than serum creatinine for estimation of kidney function and may be associated with cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to elucidate the association of serum cystatin C with metabolic syndrome (MS), a constellation of cardiovascular risk factors, and its related components and the usefulness of serum cystatin C for the cardiovascular risk assessment. Methods: 1,468 healthy subjects (814 men and 655 women), who visited health promotion center of Pusan National University Hospital for routine medical checkup were included. MS was defined by modified, revised National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III criteria. Results: Mean serum cystatin C value was 0.87 ± 0.17 mg/L. In partial correlation analysis adjusted by age, sex and Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR), cystatin C was associated with most of metabolic parameters and especially had significant positive correlation with waist circumference (r = 0.215), triglyceride (TG) (r = 0.141), diastolic blood pressure (BP) (r = 0.116), and correlated negatively with high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (r = -0.152) (all P < 0.001). There were increasing trends of prevalence of MS with the increase of quartiles of cystatin C and as the number of MS components increased, cystatin C values significantly increased. Serum cystatin C was also significantly increased in MS (0.90 ± 0.19 mg/L vs. 0.86 ± 0.16 mg/L). In stepwise multiple regression analysis including the components of MS, Waist circumference, diastolic BP, triglyceride, and HDL cholesterol were independent determinants of serum cystatin C, but with creatinine, only waist circumference was independent determinant. Conclusions: Serum cystatin C was closely associated with MS and its related cardiovascular risk factors and might be useful as a tool of cardiovascular risk assessment. (KOREAN DIABETES J 32:409-417, 2008)

Systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE) is autoimmune disease in which involves systemic organs. Hematological manifestations are common in patients with SLE but aplastic anemia is very rare and, although various immunosuppressants have been tried, there is no established treatment in aplastic anemia associated with SLE. Furthermore, disease course and prognosis may be different from other aplastic anemia. A 42-year-old woman presented with fever, chilling, myalgia, general weakness, pancytopenia. Her bone marrow aspirate and biopsy revealed almost acellular bone marrow with rare foci of hematopoietic elements and she was diagnosed with SLE simultaneously. High-dose methyprednisolone, prednisolone and cyclophosphamide therapies had been unsuccessful in controlling pancytopenia. Cyclosproine was started and the aplastic anemia was responded. Now she was free of transfusion with more than 10 g/dL of hemoglobin.

Hypoglycemia caused by a non-islet cell tumor (NICT) is a rare condition. The mechanism of NICT-induced hypoglycemia is still unclear, but insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) has been thought to play a major role in its development. NICT is usually of mesenchymal or epithelial cell origin, but reports on NICT of an endothelial cell origin, which causes hypoglycemia, have yet to surface. Here, we report on a case of a 63-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with epithelioid hemangioendothelioma-induced hypoglycemia. Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma is a borderline malignant vascular tumor that is of endothelial cell origin and usually occurs in soft tissue, skin, lung, and liver. It was observed that serum insulin, C-peptide, and IGF-I were reduced, but the IGF-II level was elevated in hypoglycemia. The PET-CT showed no abnormal glucose metabolism in the tumor. Dextrose fluid was administered to the patient to control hypoglycemia until the operation. For treatment and diagnosis, surgical resection of the tumor and total hysterectomy were performed. The specimen was noted to have epithelioid hemangioendothelioma. Hypoglycemia-related symptoms disappeared after surgical resection was performed. (J Kor Endocr Soc 22:440~445, 2007)