Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 23 (198 1) 35 l-352 Elsevier/North-Holland Scientific Publishers, Ltd.

351

BOOK REVIEW

The Year Book of Endocrinology. Edited by T.B. Schwartz and W.G. Ryan. Year

Book Medical Publishers Ltd., London, 1980.384 pp. US $ 37.50.

To review a book that reviews recent developments of 1 year is a somewhat diff- cult task;nevertheless, it is worth pointing out highlights of theoretical and practical endocrinology which were watched and recorded by the authors during 1979. By

this procedure, they continue their most useful annual volumes which enable readers to follow this field in a critical outline.

With respect to the endocrine functions of hypothalamus and pituitary gland, the further investigations of the endogenous opioid peptides are of unchanged fascination. Especially mentioned are associations between /3-endorphin levels and over-eating in obese mice as well as modulations of gonadotropin secretion by endo-

genous opioids. For diagnosis of pituitary tumors the importance of computer tomography was further documented. For treatment of acromegaly, bromocriptine therapy seemed to be less effective than ablative therapy. In contrast, bromocrip- tine may reduce tumor size in patients with prolactinoma. Furthermore, this drug seems to relieve symptoms of idiopathic edema.

The chapter devoted to thyroidology starts with the somewhat surprising ob-

servation that TSH (in vitro) does not directly stimulate the growth rate of thyro- cytes - maybe it induces or mediates the response of specific growth factors. TRH

was revealed to be an inhibitor of gastrin-stimulated gastric secretion. For the still tedious clinical problem of severe exophthalmos, plasmapheresis for removing thy- roid-stimulating immunoglobulins proved to be effective. The higher incidence of thyroid cancer many years after neck irradiation is well known: changes may start

early as thyroid abnormalities are already present in many patients within 2 years after irradiation therapy of Hodgkin’s disease. The follow-up of thyroid cancer

patients perhaps is facilitated by determinations of serum thyroglobulin. In medul- lary thyroid carcinoma, radio-iodine therapy was regarded as being without effect, but now it was reported that residual tumor C cells can be irradiated by the uptake of the isotope by neighboring thyrocytes.

Compared with parathyroid hormone (PTH), prostaglandin Ez had a greater effect on osteoclast function. Obviously, the production of prostaglandin by mono- cytes is also necessary for the production of osteoclast-activating factor (OAF) which plays a role in neoplastic hypercalcemia. In the field of vitamin D metabo- lism, states of decreased sensitivity or end-organ refractoriness to 1,25-dihydroxy- vitamin D have been described. Computer tomography of the skull is useful for the detection of basal ganglia calcifications in hypoparathyroidism. Hypercalcemia in

0303-7207/81/0000-0000/$02.50 0 1981 Elsevier/North-Holland Scientific Publishers, Ltd.

352 Book review

Paget’s disease of bone may not be due to immobility but may indicate co-existing primary hyperparathyroidism.

Rarely, diabetes mellitus results from the production of structurally abnormal insulin, In a child who died from abrupt juvenile diabetes, Coxsackie virus B 4 was

isolated from the pancreas at autopsy. It is worth mentioning the reaffirmation that divided insulin administration reduces secondary complications in comparison with single daily injections to patients. The experiments with portable insulin infusion

pumps go on, and devices for peritoneal application are under investigation. Deter- minations of hemoglobin At, were performed under different conditions in order

to define the significance of this marker of metabolic control. The location of pheochromocytoma will perhaps be improved by a new scinti-

gram technique (until now only done in animals) by using a 1311-labeled antiadren-

ergic agent. For biochemical diagnosis, the determination of plasma catecholamines is advantageous. Medicamental treatment of Cushing’s disease was performed with

trilostane, another blocker of adrenal steroid synthesis. In a system in vitro, aldo- sterone production was inhibited by serum from patients with manic-depressive ill- ness, indicating brain neurotransmitter influences.

The introduction of pulsatile gonadotropin-releasing hormone led to far better increases in LH and FSH than continuous GnRH infusion which obviously induces down regulation or desensitization. Intranasal application of an LHRH analog and agonist provoked anovulatory cycles. The small risk of higher myocardial infarction rate due to oral contraceptives is distinctly increased by smoking (25 cigarettes and more per day). In males, hypothalamic and pituitary hypogonadism can be differ- entiated by repetitive GnRH infusions. Occasionally, male infertility is caused by androgen insensitivity. Estrogen production is increased in obese men. In contrast, testosterone is enhanced in female patients with anorexia nervosa (and normalized after weight gain).

Among the polyhormonal syndromes, prolactinoma became part of the multiple endocrine neoplasia type I. ACTH and calcitonin were found in the same cells of medullary thyroid carcinoma by immunofluorescence. Lipotropin was extracted from different malignant tumors.

Reading this book is a pleasure - not least because of the authors’ intelligent, critical and witty comments including even some jokes (see p. 362).

R. ZIEGLER Heidelberg, F. R. G.