Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and a pivotal role in thyroid metabolism. Ensuring a sufficient Se supply is possible via a balanced, wholesome diet; however, Se content in foods may be different throughout geographical areas. Se supplementation is expected to improve inflammatory status in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis, especially in those with high activity, and has been demonstrated as effective in reducing the thyroid peroxidase antibodies titer. Se status seems to affect thyroid function in pregnancy, which prompts the potential role of Se supplementation in such patients. Few clinical trials have investigated the effectiveness of Se supplementation in pregnant women with thyroiditis, and their results suggest the safety and effectiveness of this element in reducing autoantibody levels and preventing postpartum thyroiditis development, although limited. Hence, more robust evidence is needed to confirm these data. The current study aims to summarize published data on the relationship between Se and thyroid status in pregnant women with thyroiditis and the potential use of Se. Moreover, an algorithm for Se supplementation is proposed for pregnant women with thyroiditis to help endocrinologists in daily clinical practice to consider Se status.

The diagnosis of parathyroid diseases by imaging still has some intrinsic technical limitations due to the differential diagnosis of different structures of the neck that mimic the parathyroid glands. In this view, ultrasound (US) is an established, low-cost, and non-invasive imaging technique that still represents the first-line approach for evaluating patients with parathyroid disease. The objective of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the applications of USs in clinical practice, discussing the histopathological and US characteristics of the parathyroid glands in normal and pathological conditions, the advantages of preoperative imaging, and novel updates on the most useful and currently available multiparameter US techniques.

Purpose: Tall stature is defined as height greater than the threshold of more than 2 standard deviations above the average population height for age, sex, and ethnicity. Many studies have described the main aspects of this condition during puberty, but an analysis of the characteristics that the physician should consider in the differential diagnosis of gigantism—tall stature secondary to a pituitary tumour—during the transition age (15–25 years) is still lacking. Methods: A comprehensive search of English-language original articles was conducted in the MEDLINE database (December 2021-March 2022). We selected all studies regarding epidemiology, genetic aspects, and the diagnosis of tall stature and gigantism during the transition age. Results: Generally, referrals for tall stature are not as frequent as expected because most cases are familial and are usually unreported by parents and patients to endocrinologists. For this reason, lacking such experience of tall stature, familiarity with many rarer overgrowth syndromes is essential. In the transition age, it is important but challenging to distinguish adolescents with high constitutional stature from those with gigantism. Pituitary gigantism is a rare disease in the transition age, but its systemic complications are very relevant for future health. Endocrine evaluation is crucial for identifying conditions that require hormonal treatment so that they can be treated early to improve the quality of life and prevent comorbidities of individual patient in this age range. Conclusion: The aim of our review is to provide a practical clinical approach to recognise adolescents, potentially affected by gigantism, as early as possible.

Background: Sellar/parasellar lesions have been studied in the adult and paediatric age range, but during the transition age their epidemiology, clinical manifestations, management and treatment outcomes have been poorly investigated. Materials and methods: An Italian multicentre cohort study, in which hospital records of patients with diagnosis of sellar/parasellar lesions during the transition age and young adulthood (15–25 years), were reviewed in terms of prevalence, clinical and hormonal features at diagnosis, and outcomes where available. Both pituitary neuroendocrine tumours (pituitary tumours, Group A) and non-endocrine lesions (Group B) were included. Results: Among Group A (n = 170, 46.5% macroadenomas), the most frequent were prolactin and GH-secreting tumours, with a female predominance. Among Group B (n = 28), germinomas and Rathke cells cysts were the most common. In Group A, the most frequent hormonal deficiency was gonadal dysfunction. Galactorrhoea and amenorrhoea were relatively common in female patients with prolactinomas. Pre-surgical diabetes insipidus was only seen in Group B, in which also hormone deficiencies were more frequent and numerous. Larger lesions were more likely to be seen in Group B. Patients in Group B were more frequently male, younger, and leaner than those of Group A, whereas at last follow-up they showed more obesity and dyslipidaemia. In our cohort, the percentage of patients with at least one pituitary deficiency increased slightly after surgery. Conclusions: The management of sellar/parasellar lesions is challenging in the transition age, requiring an integrated and multidisciplinary approach. Hormone and metabolic disorders can occur many years after treatment, therefore long-term follow-up is mandatory.

Objective: Although GH and IGF-1 have long been proposed to play a role in immune-modulation, the circulating immune cell phenotype in acromegaly (ACRO) is poorly understood. Design: This observational, prospective, single-site clinical trial (NCT05069324) analyzed peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) subpopulations in ACRO, investigating the role of disease control, pharmacological treatments, and metabolic profile. Methods: Sixty consecutive patients with ACRO (34 males, mean age 54.7 ± 15) attending an outpatient visit between July 2020 and December 2024 were enrolled. Patients were compared with two populations: 40 healthy controls (CTRL) and 40 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), with no significant differences in age or sex. An 8-week follow-up evaluation was performed and compared among patients according to the introduction or changes in their pharmacological treatment. Results: Compared with CTRL, ACRO patients had lower total monocytes with a decreased percentage of classical and an increased proportion of non-classical subsets. There were fewer NK cells, with higher CD56dim and lower CD56bright subpopulations, and similar T and B lymphocytes. Compared with T2DM, ACRO showed lower total monocytes, with higher classical and lower non-classical subsets, as well as lower NK cells and B lymphocytes. In the short-term, treatment appeared unable to restore immune cell profile but partially affected the distributions of innate immune cells subpopulations. Conclusions: This is the first evidence of a distinct immunological pattern in ACRO that is independent of glucose metabolism. The immune signature may contribute to the persistence of cardio-metabolic and oncological risk observed in ACRO, even when the disease is adequately controlled by medical treatment.