Mortality in acromegaly is normalized with biochemical control and decreased in the last decade with the more frequent use of SAs as adjuvant therapy. Increased life expectancy has been associated with more deaths due to cancer.

The Primus anesthesia workstation partially humidifies the inspired gas when a low fresh gas flow is used. Insertion of an HME increases the humidity in inhaled gas, bringing it close to physiological values.

Handgrip strength may serve as an effective predictor of low lumbar spine T score among outpatients with cirrhosis. As cirrhosis affects the lumbar spine more than the femoral neck, these results suggest that handgrip strength should be tested in all patients with cirrhosis as a first indicator of bone health.

Based on the erratum published in February 2019 issue of the European Journal of Endocrinology by Esposito et al. (1), we have decided to update the meta-analyses of our systematic review published last year (2), in which the above-mentioned study was included. The corrected data have not changed our conclusions (Fig. 1). We reaffirm that in comparison with studies published before 2008, standardized mortality rate (SMR) in acromegaly decreased in the last decade, probably due to the most frequent use of somatostatin analogs as adjuvant therapy in patients not controlled with surgery (

A case of primary squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC) of the thyroid which had been initially diagnosed as an anaplastic carcinoma (ATC) is described: female, 73 years old, with a fast-growing cervical nodule on the left side and hoarseness for 3 months. Ultrasonography showed a 4.5 cm solid nodule. FNA was compatible with poorly differentiated carcinoma with immunoreactivity for AE1/AE3, EMA. Thyroidectomy was performed. Histopathological examination showed a nonencapsulated tumor. Immunohistochemistry disclosed positivity for AE1/AE3, p53,p63, and Ki67. The diagnosis was ATC. A second opinion reported tumor consisting of squamous cells, with intense inflammatory infiltrate both in tumor and in the adjacent thyroid, with final diagnosis of SCC, associated with Hashimoto thyroiditis. No other primary focus of SCC was found. Patient has shown a 48-month survival period. Clinically, primary SCCs of the thyroid and ATCs are similar. The distinction is often difficult particularly when based on the cytological analysis of FNA material.