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Psychoneuroendocrinology Sep 2022Managing stress and having good quality sleep are inter-related factors that are essential for health, and both factors seem to be affected by physical activity.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Managing stress and having good quality sleep are inter-related factors that are essential for health, and both factors seem to be affected by physical activity. Although there is an established bidirectional relationship between stress and sleep, remarkably few studies have been designed to examine the effects of physical activity on cortisol, a key biomarker for stress, and sleep. Research is particularly scarce in older people despite both sleep and cortisol changing with age. This systematic literature review addresses this gap.
METHODS
A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Original, peer-reviewed records of intervention studies such as randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs with relevant control groups were eligible for inclusion. The Participant, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO) characteristics were (1) adults or older adults (2) physical activity programmes of any duration, (3) controls receiving no intervention or controls included in a different programme, (4) cortisol measurement, and subjective or objective measures of sleep.
RESULTS
Ten original studies with low-to-moderate risk of bias were included. Findings from this review indicated with moderate- and low-certainty evidence, respectively, that physical activity was an effective strategy for lowering cortisol levels (SMD [95% CI] = -0.37 [-0.52, -0.21] p < .001) and improving sleep quality (SMD [95% CI] = -0.30 [-0.56, -0.04], p = .02). Caution is needed to generalize these findings to the general population, as included trials were predominantly participants with breast cancer, included few males and no older adults.
CONCLUSION
Cortisol regulation and sleep quality are intertwined, and physical activity programmes could improve both in several ways. Further, physical activity may benefit adults with long term conditions or current poor (mental) health states the most, although more research is needed to support this claim fully. Few intervention studies have examined the inter-relationship between cortisol and sleep outcomes in males or older adults, indicating fruitful enquiry for future research.
Topics: Aged; Breast Neoplasms; Exercise; Humans; Hydrocortisone; Male; Mental Health; Quality of Life; Sleep
PubMed: 35777076
DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105843 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2022Pasireotide (PAS) is a novel somatostatin receptor ligands (SRL), used in controlling hormonal hypersecretion in both acromegaly and Cushing's Disease (CD). In previous... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
INTRODUCTION
Pasireotide (PAS) is a novel somatostatin receptor ligands (SRL), used in controlling hormonal hypersecretion in both acromegaly and Cushing's Disease (CD). In previous studies and meta-analysis, first-generation SRLs were reported to be able to induce significant tumor shrinkage only in somatotroph adenomas. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to summarize the effect of PAS on the shrinkage of the pituitary adenomas in patients with acromegaly or CD.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We searched the Medline database for original studies in patients with acromegaly or CD receiving PAS as monotherapy, that assessed the proportion of significant tumor shrinkage in their series. After data extraction and analysis, a random-effect model was used to estimate pooled effects. Quality assessment was performed with a modified Joanna Briggs's Institute tool and the risk of publication bias was addressed through Egger's regression and the three-parameter selection model.
RESULTS
The electronic search identified 179 and 122 articles respectively for acromegaly and CD. After study selection, six studies considering patients with acromegaly and three with CD fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Overall, 37.7% (95%CI: [18.7%; 61.5%]) of acromegalic patients and 41.2% (95%CI: [22.9%; 62.3%]) of CD patients achieved significant tumor shrinkage. We identified high heterogeneity, especially in acromegaly (I of 90% for acromegaly and 47% for CD), according to the low number of studies included.
DISCUSSION
PAS treatment is effective in reducing tumor size, especially in acromegalic patients. This result strengthens the role of PAS treatment in pituitary adenomas, particularly in those with an invasive behavior, with progressive growth and/or extrasellar extension, with a low likelihood of surgical gross-total removal, or with large postoperative residual tissue.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022328152, identifier CRD42022328152.
Topics: ACTH-Secreting Pituitary Adenoma; Acromegaly; Adenoma; Humans; Pituitary ACTH Hypersecretion; Pituitary Neoplasms; Somatostatin
PubMed: 35846311
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.935759 -
International Journal of Molecular... Oct 2023Recently, advances in molecular biology and bioinformatics have allowed a more thorough understanding of tumorigenesis in aggressive PitNETs (pituitary neuroendocrine... (Review)
Review
Recently, advances in molecular biology and bioinformatics have allowed a more thorough understanding of tumorigenesis in aggressive PitNETs (pituitary neuroendocrine tumors) through the identification of specific essential genes, crucial molecular pathways, regulators, and effects of the tumoral microenvironment. Target therapies have been developed to cure oncology patients refractory to traditional treatments, introducing the concept of precision medicine. Preliminary data on PitNETs are derived from preclinical studies conducted on cell cultures, animal models, and a few case reports or small case series. This study comprehensively reviews the principal pathways involved in aggressive PitNETs, describing the potential target therapies. A search was conducted on Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science for English papers published between 1 January 2004, and 15 June 2023. 254 were selected, and the topics related to aggressive PitNETs were recorded and discussed in detail: epigenetic aspects, membrane proteins and receptors, metalloprotease, molecular pathways, PPRK, and the immune microenvironment. A comprehensive comprehension of the molecular mechanisms linked to PitNETs' aggressiveness and invasiveness is crucial. Despite promising preliminary findings, additional research and clinical trials are necessary to confirm the indications and effectiveness of target therapies for PitNETs.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Pituitary Neoplasms; Pituitary Gland; Neuroendocrine Tumors; Aggression; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 37958702
DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115719 -
World Neurosurgery Jul 2021The 2017 World Health Organization classification of pituitary adenomas identified the plurihormonal PIT-1-positive (PP1) adenoma as a distinct subtype. The reported... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
The 2017 World Health Organization classification of pituitary adenomas identified the plurihormonal PIT-1-positive (PP1) adenoma as a distinct subtype. The reported data suggest that PP1 adenomas encompass the former class of silent subtype 3 (SS3) adenomas and might have an aggressive phenotype. In the present study, we summarized the current clinical data on PP1 and SS3 adenomas and compared the reported data with the data from a single institutional cohort.
METHODS
Medline and Google Scholar were searched from 1990 to 2020 for clinical series of PP1 and SS3 adenomas in accordance with the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses) guidelines. Studies were included if they had reported pituitary pathology as PP1 or SS3 adenomas and had reported the clinical outcomes after surgical intervention. To better define the PP1 phenotype compared with non-PP1 adenomas, we also reviewed the adenomas treated surgically at our institution from 2012 to 2019.
RESULTS
Of all the tumors reported in the studies as PP1 or SS3, 99% were macroadenomas and 18% were giant adenomas (>4 cm). Of the reported patients, 31.8% had received radiotherapy, and 22.9% had undergone multiple surgeries for their pituitary tumor. In our single-center experience, 20 patients had an adenoma that met the criteria for a PP1 adenoma. Compared with the 1146 non-PP1 tumors, the PP1 tumors did not show statistically significant differences in the extent of resection, size, number of previous surgeries, future reoperations, rate of radiotherapy, p53 staining, or MIB-1 labeling index.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings from the present large, single-center study comparing PP1 and non-PP1 adenomas do not suggest that PP1 tumors are more aggressive. Further work is warranted to identify the pathologic subtypes of pituitary adenomas that are consistently more clinically aggressive.
Topics: Adenoma; Adult; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Pituitary Neoplasms
PubMed: 33862299
DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2021.04.003 -
Cephalalgia : An International Journal... Feb 2023To systemically review clinical studies investigating the role of prolactin and its receptors in headache and migraine. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To systemically review clinical studies investigating the role of prolactin and its receptors in headache and migraine.
BACKGROUND
Migraine prevalence is more common in women compared to men. As prolactin is a crucial regulator of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis, prolactin and its receptors might contribute to signaling mechanisms underlying migraine.
METHODS
In this systematic review, we searched PubMed and EMBASE with the terms: prolactin, hyperprolactinemia, macroprolactinemia, hypoprolactinemia, migraine, headache, head pain and trigeminal pain pathway for clinical studies investigating prolactin signaling in headache and migraine. Two reviewers independently screened 841 articles for population, intervention, comparison, outcome, and study design. Studies were restricted to the English language and were excluded if they had a nonexperimental methodology.
RESULTS
Nineteen clinical studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative and quantitative analysis. The main findings were that serum prolactin levels were found to be higher in individuals with migraine compared to healthy controls, and prolactinomas (prolactin-secreting pituitary adenomas) were correlated with higher incidence of headache in otherwise healthy individuals and migraine attacks in individuals with migraine.
CONCLUSION
Considerable evidence suggests a key role of prolactin and its receptors in migraine pathophysiology. Further randomized and placebo-controlled clinical studies targeting prolactin signaling are needed to further clarify influences of prolactin in migraine attack initiation.
Topics: Male; Humans; Female; Prolactin; Headache; Prolactinoma; Migraine Disorders; Hyperprolactinemia; Pituitary Neoplasms
PubMed: 36718026
DOI: 10.1177/03331024221136286 -
Neurosurgical Review Sep 2023Endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery is a novel surgical technique requiring specific training. Different models and simulators have been recently suggested for it, but no... (Review)
Review
Endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery is a novel surgical technique requiring specific training. Different models and simulators have been recently suggested for it, but no systematic review is available. To provide a systematic and critical literature review and up-to-date description of the training models or simulators dedicated to endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery. A search was performed on PubMed and Scopus databases for articles published until February 2023; Google was also searched to document commercially available. For each model, the following features were recorded: training performed, tumor/arachnoid reproduction, assessment and validation, and cost. Of the 1199 retrieved articles, 101 were included in the final analysis. The described models can be subdivided into 5 major categories: (1) enhanced cadaveric heads; (2) animal models; (3) training artificial solutions, with increasing complexity (from "box-trainers" to multi-material, ct-based models); (4) training simulators, based on virtual or augmented reality; (5) Pre-operative planning models and simulators. Each available training model has specific advantages and limitations. Costs are high for cadaver-based solutions and vary significantly for the other solutions. Cheaper solutions seem useful only for the first stages of training. Most models do not provide a simulation of the sellar tumor, and a realistic simulation of the suprasellar arachnoid. Most artificial models do not provide a realistic and cost-efficient simulation of the most delicate and relatively common phase of surgery, i.e., tumor removal with arachnoid preservation; current research should optimize this to train future neurosurgical generations efficiently and safely.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Endoscopy; Cadaver; Computer Simulation; Databases, Factual; Skull Base Neoplasms
PubMed: 37725193
DOI: 10.1007/s10143-023-02149-3 -
Journal of Neurosurgery. Pediatrics Sep 2022DICER1-mutant malignant brain neoplasms are very rare tumors, and published data have relied on case reports or small case series. In this review, the authors aimed to... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
DICER1-mutant malignant brain neoplasms are very rare tumors, and published data have relied on case reports or small case series. In this review, the authors aimed to systematically summarize the types and distribution patterns of DICER1 mutations, clinicopathological characteristics, and prognostic outcomes of these tumors.
METHODS
The authors searched PubMed and Web of Science for relevant studies. They included studies if they provided individual patient data of primary malignant brain tumors carrying DICER1 mutations.
RESULTS
The authors found 16 studies consisting of 9 embryonal tumors with multilayered rosettes (ETMRs), 30 pineoblastomas, 52 primary intracranial sarcomas, and 27 pituitary blastomas. Pineoblastoma, ETMR, and pituitary blastoma were more likely to carry DICER1 germline mutations, while only a small subset of primary intracranial sarcomas harbored these mutations (p < 0.001). Nearly 80% of tumors with germline mutations also had another somatic mutation in DICER1. ETMR and primary intracranial sarcoma were associated with an increased risk for tumor progression and relapse compared with pituitary blastoma and pineoblastoma (p = 0.0025), but overall survival (OS) was not significantly different. Gross-total resection (GTR) and radiotherapy administration were associated with prolonged OS.
CONCLUSIONS
ETMR, pineoblastoma, primary intracranial sarcoma, and pituitary blastoma should be considered rare phenotypes of the DICER1 syndrome, and families should be counseled and screened for associated tumors. ETMR and primary intracranial sarcoma had a higher risk of relapse. GTR and radiotherapy appeared to improve the OS of patients with DICER1-mutant malignant intracranial tumors.
PubMed: 35901678
DOI: 10.3171/2022.6.PEDS22119 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2023Pituitary tumors (PT) are mostly benign, although occasionally they demonstrate aggressive behavior, invasion of surrounding tissues, rapid growth, resistance to... (Review)
Review
Pituitary tumors (PT) are mostly benign, although occasionally they demonstrate aggressive behavior, invasion of surrounding tissues, rapid growth, resistance to conventional treatments, and multiple recurrences. The pathogenesis of PT is still not fully understood, and the factors responsible for its invasiveness, aggressiveness, and potential for metastasis are unknown. RAF/MEK/ERK and mTOR signaling are significant pathways in the regulation of cell growth, proliferation, and survival, its importance in tumorigenesis has been highlighted. The aim of our review is to determine the role of the activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR and RAF/MEK/ERK pathways in the pathogenesis of pituitary tumors. Additionally, we evaluate their potential in a new therapeutic approach to provide alternative therapies and improved outcomes for patients with aggressive pituitary tumors that do not respond to standard treatment. We perform a systematic literature search using the PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases (search date was 2012-2023). Out of the 529 screened studies, 13 met the inclusion criteria, 7 related to the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, and 7 to the RAF/MEK/ERK pathway (one study was used in both analyses). Understanding the specific factors involved in PT tumorigenesis provides opportunities for targeted therapies. We also review the possible new targeted therapies and the use of mTOR inhibitors and TKI in PT management. Although the RAF/MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways play a pivotal role in the complex signaling network along with many interactions, further research is urgently needed to clarify the exact functions and the underlying mechanisms of these signaling pathways in the pathogenesis of pituitary adenomas and their role in its invasiveness and aggressive clinical outcome.
Topics: Humans; MAP Kinase Signaling System; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Pituitary Neoplasms; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; Carcinogenesis
PubMed: 37446128
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310952 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2023Three dopamine agonists [bromocriptine, cabergoline, and quinagolide (CV)] have been used for hyperprolactinemia treatment for decades. Several studies have reviewed the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
PURPOSE
Three dopamine agonists [bromocriptine, cabergoline, and quinagolide (CV)] have been used for hyperprolactinemia treatment for decades. Several studies have reviewed the efficacy and safety of bromocriptine and cabergoline. However, no systematic review or meta-analysis has discussed the efficacy and safety of CV in hyperprolactinemia and prolactinoma treatment.
METHODS
Five medical databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library) were searched up to 9 May 2022 to identify studies related to CV and hyperprolactinemia. A meta-analysis was implemented by using a forest plot, funnel plot, sensitivity analysis, meta-regression, and Egger's test software R 4.0 and STATA 12.
RESULTS
A total of 1,211 studies were retrieved from the five medical databases, and 33 studies consisting of 827 patients were finally included in the analysis. The pooled proportions of patients with prolactin concentration normalization and tumor reduction (>50%) under CV treatment were 69% and 20%, respectively, with 95% confidence intervals of 61%-76% and 15%-28%, respectively. The pooled proportion of adverse effects was 13%, with a 95% confidence interval of 11%-16%.
CONCLUSION
Our study showed that CV is not less effective than cabergoline and bromocriptine in treating hyperprolactinemia, and the side effects were not significant. Hence, this drug could be considered an alternative first-line or rescue treatment in treating hyperprolactinemia in the future.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO, identifier CRD42022347750.
Topics: Humans; Bromocriptine; Cabergoline; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Hyperprolactinemia; Pituitary Neoplasms; Aminoquinolines
PubMed: 36761195
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1027905 -
Hormone and Metabolic Research =... Jul 2023The management of non-functioning pituitary tumors (NFPTs) relies on the risk of tumor growth and new endocrinopathies. The objective of this systematic review was to... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
The management of non-functioning pituitary tumors (NFPTs) relies on the risk of tumor growth and new endocrinopathies. The objective of this systematic review was to assess the risk of growth, new pituitary endocrinopathies, and surgery in patients with conservatively treated NFPTs. We conducted a bibliographical search identifying studies assessing NFPTs followed conservatively. Estimates were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis reporting events per 100 person years (PYs), in case of high heterogeneity (I2>75%) only the range of observed effects was reported. We identified 30 cohort studies including 1957 patients with a mean follow-up time of 4.0 (SD 1.5) years. The overall risk of tumor growth ranged from 0.0 to 14.2/100 PYs (I2=90%), while the overall risk of new endocrinopathies was 0.9/100 PYs (95% CI. 0.5 to 1.2; I2=: 35%) and risk of surgery ranged from 0.0 to 7.7/100 PYs (I2=: 80%). Compared to microadenomas, macroadenomas had higher risk of growth (p=: 0.002), higher risk of surgery (p=: 0.006), and non-significant differences in risk of new endocrinopathies (p=: 0.15). An analysis of microadenomas found the risk of growth to be 1.8/100 PYs (95% CI. 0.9 to 2.8; I2=: 58%), the risk of new endocrinopathies 0.7/100 PYs (95% CI. 0.0 to 1.6; I2=: 37%) and the risk of surgery 0.5/100 PYs (0.1 to 0.9; I2=: 37%). These data support individualized follow-up strategies of patients with NFPTs and particularly a less rigorous follow-up of patients with microadenomas.
Topics: Humans; Pituitary Neoplasms; Adenoma; Cohort Studies; Pituitary Gland
PubMed: 37494058
DOI: 10.1055/a-2096-1340