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In acromegaly the impact of therapy on well-being and self-perception of patients is not clearly defined. The data existing on the effect of treatment on health-related quality of life in patients with acromegaly is inconclusive. In this study we addressed the effect of exercise on health-related quality of life, symptoms of depression and perception of body image in patients with acromegaly. Patients with acromegaly were stratified into two groups according to their participation in a prescheduled program of exercise. Participants in the study group performed exercise for 75 min a day for 3 days a week during cosecutive 3 months. Warming, cardio, strength, balance and stretching moves applied in every course. Both the exercise group and control group were asked to complete a questionnaire on quality of life, symptoms of depression and self-perception of body image. Each questionnaire was answered by both groups before the beginning of the exercise program (at month-0) and after the completion of the program (at month-3). In exercise group after the completion of exercise period there was a tendency towards decreament in body mass index and IGF-I, although not statistically significant (p = 0.08 and p = 0.09). Self-assessment of body image improved significantly after participation in the exercise program (p = 0.01). Present findings support that exercise may be an adjunctive method for patients with acromegaly to improve self esteem and perception.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between maternal vitamin D status and glucose intolerance, and its impact on pregnant women and their newborns. Methods: A cohort of pregnant women were divided into three groups: women with gestational diabetes mellitus, ones with normal results both after the 50 gr and 100 gr OGTT (CG-1) and ones having a positive result after the 50 gr OGTT screening but negative results for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) after the 100 gr OGTT (CG-2) Results: The newborn length in CG-1 was greater than in GDM and CG-2 (p= 0.002 and p= 0.02). Fasting blood glucose and insulin resistance (IR) were negatively correlated with length of the newborns (r=-0.3, p=0.03 and r=-0.3, p=0.01). The newborns of women with GDM had lower APGAR-1 and 5 scores than those of CG-1 and CG-2 (APGAR-1 p= 0.001 and p= 0.004, APGAR-5 p=0.005 and p=0.007, respectively). APGAR scores were correlated negatively with IR (APGAR-1 r=-0.32, p=0.01, APGAR-5 r=-0.3, p=0.03) and positively with 25OHD levels (APGAR-1 r=0.3, p=0.01, APGAR-5 r=0.3, p=0.02). Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency, gestational diabetes and insulin resistance are interrelated. Severe vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is associated with poor pregnancy and neonatal outcome.

Aim: To determine levels of serum trace elements and vitamins, and to find out possible correlations between these elements and vitamins with thyroid function tests and thyroid autoantibody levels in patients having Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). Methods: The study included 51 premenauposal women with untreated HT, aged 18 to 56 years without any known chronic diseases or chronic medicine usage, and 27 healthy premenauposal women aged 19 to 42 years old. Trace elements (selenium, zinc, copper, iron levels) and vitamins [A, E, B12, 25-OH-D, 1,25(OH) 2 D and folic acid levels] were evaluated in patient and control groups. Results: Consequently, serum trace elements and vitamin B12 levels did not significantly differ in patients with HT and control group. Thyroid functioning tests and autoantibody levels did not show any correlation with the levels of trace elements, vitamin A, vitamin E and 25-OH vitamin D. A correlation was detected between vitamin B12 and Anti thyroid peroxidase levels. Conclusion: The negative correlation between vitamin B12 and Anti thyroid peroxidase levels may demonstrate the necessity to screen the patients with HT for atrophic gastritis. We believe that more comprehensive studies with larger sample sizes are needed in which patients are randomized according to their nutritional status.