We have investigated the relationship between fetal hemoglobin (HbF) levels and metabolic control in subjects with insulin-dependent (N = 79) and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (N = 242). HbF and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels were increased in subjects with type 1 and type 2 diabetes as compared to levels in nondiabetic individuals (P<0.0001), and were significantly higher in type 1 than in type 2 diabetes subjects. Lower levels of HbA1c and HbF were observed in type 2 diabetes subjects treated by diet, intermediate levels in those treated with oral hypoglycemic agents, and higher levels in those treated with insulin. HbF and HbA1c levels were correlated in type 1 diabetes (R 2 = 0.57, P<0.0001) and type 2 diabetes (R 2 = 0.58, P<0.0001) subjects. Following intense treatment, twelve diabetic patients showed significant improvement both in HbA1c and HbF values. We conclude that increased HbF levels reflect poor metabolic control in subjects with diabetes mellitus.

Lipoatropic diabetes (LD) designates a group of syndromes characterized by diabetes mellitus with marked insulin resistance and either a localized or generalized absence of adipose tissue. In this study, we evaluated plasma leptin levels in subjects with congenital generalized lipoatropic diabetes (CGLD, n = 11) or acquired generalized lipoatropic diabetes (AGLD, n = 11), and assessed correlations between leptin levels and estimations of insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity using homeostasis model assessment (HOMA). Leptin levels were 0.86 +/- 0.32, 1.76 +/- 0.78, and 6.9 +/- 4.4 ng/mL in subjects with CGLD, AGLD, and controls (n = 19), respectively (ANOVA P < 0.0001). Specific insulin levels were 154 +/- 172, 177 +/- 137 and 43 +/- 22 pmol/L, respectively (P < 0.0001). Insulin sensitivity was significantly decreased in both groups with LD (P < 0.0001), whereas HOMA beta-cell function was not significantly different when compared with controls. Leptin levels were significantly correlated with body mass index, insulin levels, and HOMA beta-cell function, and inversely correlated with insulin sensitivity in control subjects but not in subjects with generalized LD. In conclusion, decreased leptin levels were observed in subjects with generalized LD, with a trend towards lower levels in the acquired than in the congenital form (P = 0.06). The temporal relationship between the decrease in leptin levels and the development of lipoatrophy should be investigated in at-risk young relatives of subjects with the acquired forms to assess the usefulness of leptin levels as a marker of lipoatrophy.

Pregnancy is a rare occurrence in Cushing's syndrome (CS) and it is associated with severe arterial hypertension in 64.6% of cases; infertility and abortion occur in 75% of patients with CS. In the event of a pregnancy in CS the etiology of hypercortisolism is the cortisol-producing adrenal adenoma in most cases. A most severe complication of high blood pressure in pregnancy is the HELLP syndrome. We report two cases of pregnancy in patients with CS, who developed a severe, sudden and early situation of HELLP syndrome which progressed to fetal death. The first was caused by an adrenal adenoma and the second by an adrenal carcinoma. Pregnancy due to CS can lead to a serious life-threatening situation, like the HELLP syndrome. Special attention should be paid when pregnancy is associated to CS. Early diagnosis leads to specific treatment, in an attempt to reduce de high morbid-mortality in these cases.

Recebido em 20/02/98 Revisado em 15/07/98 Aceito em 15/07/98 RESUMOParagangliomas funcionantes são tumores raros, produtores de catecolaminas que se originam da crista neural. Apresentamos o caso de um paciente de 11 anos com quadro de hipertensão arterial grave e massa em região cervical direita. Apresentou aumento das catecolaminas e metabólitos urinários: epinefrina, 97,8 mg/24hs (Valor de Referência (VR)= 0,5 a 20); norepinefrina, 184,8 mg/24hs (VR= 15 a 80); dopamina, 513,5 mg/24hs (VR= 65 a 400); metanefrina, 0,08 mg/g de creatinina (VR< 0,31); normetanefrina, 0,64 mg/g de creatinina (VR< 0,43); ácido vanilmandélico, 69,3 mmol/24hs (VR= 10 a 35). A cintilografia com meta-iodobenzil-guanidina (MIBG) mostrou a presença de massa hiperfixante em região cervical direita, a qual foi confirmada pela ressonância magnéti-ca (RM), que mostrou também uma lesão contra-lateral, que entretanto, não apresentou captação pelo MIBG. Foi realizada a exérese da lesão cervical direita, evoluindo com normalização dos níveis da pressão arterial, catecolaminas e metabólitos urinários. A imuno-histoquímica identificou grânulos de secreção para enolase neuroespecífi-ca, neurofilamentos, cromogranina, somatostatina e serotonina, que confirmaram o diagnóstico de paraganglioma funcionante, e identificou a presença de anti-proteína S100, que é um preditor de bom prognóstico. O paciente será acompanhado com exames clínicos e laboratoriais periódicos, devido à lesão contra-lateral e para se detectar uma eventual recidiva do tumor à direita. Apesar da presença de fatores de bom prognóstico, estes tumores são considerados potencialmente malignos. (Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab 1998;42/6:478-482) Unitermos: Paraganglioma funcionante; Feocromocitoma extra-adrenal; Cintilografia; Meta-iodo-benzil-guanidina; Catecolaminas ABSTRACT Functioning paragangliomas are rare tumors originated from the neural crest cells that produce catecholamines. We present the case of an 11 year-old boy with severe arterial hypertension and a mass in the right cervical region. He presented increased levels of catecholamine and urinary fractions of epinephrine, 97.8 mg/24hs (Reference Values (RV)= 0.5 to 20); norepinephrine, 184.8 mg/24hs (RV= 15 to 80); dopamine, 513.5 mg/24hs (RV= 65 to 400); metanephrine, 0.08 mg/g creatinine (RV< 0.31); normetanephrine, 0.64 mg/g creatinine (RV< 0.43); vanilmandelic acid, 69.3 mmol/24hs (RV= 10 to 35). Scintigraphy with metaiodinebenzylguanidine (MIBG) showed increased uptake in the right cervical mass, which was confirmed by magnetic resonance image (MRI), which also showed a small mass in the left cervical region without increased MIBG uptake. A surgical procedure removed the right cervical lesion, normalizing blood pressure, catecholamine levels and urinary fractions. Immunohistochemistry was positive for neurospecific enolase, neurofilaments, cromogranin, somatostatin and serotonin that confirmed the diagnosis of a functioning paraganglioma and also identified the presence of anti-S100 protein, which is a predictor for good progn...

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