Aim of the study. To detect hypogonadism and elucidate its relationship with erectile dysfunction (ED) and the main risk factors of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) among the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2). Materials and methods. This clinical epidemiological study included 261 men with DM2 at the age varying from 30 to 59 years. The following exclusion criteria were used: type 1 diabetes mellitus, primary hypogonadism, drug-induced and congenital diseases accompanied by hypogonadism, oncological and cardiovascular diseases. All the patients underwent routine clinical examination, questionnaire and instrumental studies, laboratory analysis including assays for sex hormones. Results. Hypogonadism was diagnosed based on the results of all above studies in 114 (43.7%) men presenting with type 2 diabetes mellitus whereas the AMS questionnaire revealed a 10% higher incidence of age-related hypogonadism (in 141 or 54% subjects). It means that the incidence of hypogonadism increases with age both among the patients with DM2 and in the general male population. For example, only 17.5% of the men at the age of 30-39 years suffered hypogonadism compared with thrice this frequency in the groups of 40-49 and 50-59 year-old subjects. The summarized international erectile function index (IEFI) in the patients with hypogonadism and DM2 was 14.2±0.5 compared with 19.0±0.9 in the group without hypogonadism (p<0.001). Erectile dysfunction was diagnosed in 42 (28.6%) of the 147 patients with DM2 in the absence of hypogonadism whereas all the patients with hypogonadism suffered ED. The groups of the patients presenting with DM2 and hypogonadism and with DM2 without hypogonadism were not significantly different in terms of the number of smokers and hypokinetic subjects (roughly 70%). A similar tendency was documented in the occurrence of such parameters as waist circumference and serum triglycerides levels whereas the total and LDLP cholesterol levels, arterial pressure and body mass index were significantly higher in the patients with hypogonadism. Conclusion. Almost each second man with type 2 diabetes mellitus suffers hypogonadism and the number of such patients increases with age. The presence of DM2 increases the risk of development of ED. Also, the probability of ED and its severity increase under effect of androgen deficiency. The combination of DM2 and hypogonadism promotes manifestation of the main risk factors of cardiovascular diseases.

The increasingly higher incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) in the children and adolescent populations implies the necessity of analysis of the effectiveness of currently available therapeutic modalities bearing in mind more aggressive specific complications of the disease in these groups of patients compared with the adult ones. Metformin is the sole oral hypoglycemic agent approved for the use in the children and adolescents with DM2. This paper reports the results of the application of different therapeutic modalities with the use of metformin in the children and adolescents with DM2.

This work was designed to study dynamics of the symptoms of chronic painful form of diabetic polyneuropathy under the influence of the short-term treatment with alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) and to identify the predictors of its effectiveness. Lipoic acid was administered by means of 10 infusions dosed 600 mg each. ALA had the most pronounced therapeutic effect on convulsions, gnawing pain, the feeling of "pins and needles", burning sensation, and neuralgia. Dynamics of allodynia, hyperalgesia, and negative symptoms was insignificant. The predictors of low effectiveness of ALA were high intensity of painful and other sensations underlain by central pain maintaining mechanisms.

The authors present a case report of DIDMOAD syndrome in a girl accompanied by the early development of a severe lesion in the urinary system. The molecular-genetic analysis of the Wfs1 gene revealed thhec.1009A>C,p.T337P missense mutation in exon 8 in the homozygous state. The brother of the patient developed diabetes mellitus that for the first time manifested itself at the age of 6 years. The molecular-genetic study of the boy undertaken bearing in mind his genetically aggravated anamnesis revealed the analogous mutation; this finding maybe used to predict further development of the disease.

This document is the consensus of the experts of the Russian Association of Endocrinologists and those of the Russian Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists on diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus and other carbohydrate metabolic disturbances during pregnancy. The consensus is based on the analysis of the results of the largest multinational Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes (HAPO) Study of more than 23 thousand pregnant women. The draft was repeatedly considered at the meetings of the working group and presented as oral reports at the 6th All-Russian Congress of Endocrinologists with international participation on Current Technologies in Endocrinology and at the All-Russian Interdisciplinary Educational Congress on Complicated Pregnancy and Premature Birth: from the Summit of Science to Everyday Practice in May 2012.

The present review is focused on the relationship between growth hormone (GH) production and the state of the immune system. The influence of growth factors on the population and subpopulation composition of CD-expressing lymphocytes, functional activity of immune cells, and apoptosis is discussed. The detailed description of the role of disturbances in the pituitary somatotrophic function and the concomitant immune disorders is presented with special reference to the development of neoplastic processes. Changes in the immune system of the patients with chronic hypersecretion of growth factors are described. Tight interactions between the immune and endocrine systems appear to greatly contribute to tumour pathogenesis and have direct effect on the survivorship rate among the patients with acromegaly.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is not infrequently associated with other autoimmune endocrine and non-endocrine diseases included in the notion of "autoimmune polyglandular syndrome" (APS). Their incidence in the patients presenting with this syndrome is significantly higher than that of isolated autoimmune pathologies. The enhanced risk of the development of these diseases is associated with the presence of genetic markers, such as HLAII-complex haplotypes, CTLA-4, PTPN22, FOXP2, and certain other genes. Decompensation of autoimmune thyroid disorders and adrenal insufficiency, as well as the presence of celiac disease, autoimmune gastritis and pernicious anemia in the patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus may be responsible for the impairment of metabolic control. It is recommended that the patients with DM1 be regularly examined for the early diagnostics of autoimmune diseases including components of APS and the associated subclinical functional disturbances with a view to preventing deterioration of metabolic control.

Diabetes morbidity exceeds the predicted level. The Russian diabetes registry contains the data on more than 3 million patients suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), but their actual number in the country is supposed to be several times greater. The main causes behind this increase are ageing of the general population and widespread obesity. The number of patients with DM2 is now so large that endocrinologists are unable to render medical assistance to all of them; therefore therapists and general practitioners have to take care of such patients. In order to improve the quality of therapeutic and prophylactic aids for the diabetic patients, the Endocrinological Research Centre of the Russian Ministry of Health supported by Novo Nordisk has developed the "Medical Ambitions" project . In the framework of this project, the education program was elaborated and implemented designed to enhance the awareness among therapists and general practitioners about modern approaches to the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The present paper reports the results of analysis of the work of educational seminars carried out by the specialists of I.P. Pavlov Sank-Peterburg State Medical University. The work included lectures, interactive seminars, clinical case studies, and discussions. Special attention was given to the new groups of medications for the treatment of DM2. The effectiveness of these activities was estimated from questionnaires distributed among the participants before and after the seminars. The therapists showed great interest in the program, the level of their knowledge about up-to-date strategies of DM2 treatment appreciably increased.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multifactor diseases associated with genetic predisposition to this pathology that develops under effect of the unfavourable environmental factors. One of the main causes that provokes hyperandrogenic anovulation in PCOS is pathologic insulin resistance arising in the predisposed subjects as a result of supranormal dietary intake and low physical activity. Such factors as calcium and vitamin D insufficiency, besides other metabolic disturbances and ovarian dysfunction, play an important role in the energy imbalance associated with PCOS. Moreover, these factors along with obesity and insulin resistance are responsible for a broad spectrum of PCOS complications. There is a wealth of data suggesting the positive influence of insulin sensitizers (in the first place, metformin) on the ovarian function and their prophylactic effect on the risk of PCOS. The effectiveness of therapy using such micronutrients as calcium and vitamin D is less known. However, the results of the relevant studies give evidence of good prospects for their application for the prevention of PCOS and its consequences.

Erectile dysfincion is a complicated pathology having negative influence on the man's self-esteem, the quality of sexual satisfaction, interpersonal relationships, and the quality of life at large. An innovative formulation of Levitra ODT has been developed that enables men to more effectively control their sexual activity. The new preparation ensures the maximum comfortable intake and high functional effectiveness.

Recent progress in neuroendocrinology provided a basis for the formulation of the integral strategy for the systemic treatment of endocrine diseases. This review presents experimental and clinical evidence of the presence in the hypothalamus of specific receptors of hormones produced by the peripheral endocrine glands and trophic pituitary hormones. Synthesis of specific hypothalamic substances (releasing hormones) maintains the interplay between the neural and endocrine structures. The positive and negative feedback mechanisms in the body ensure the stable functioning of all its organs and systems.