Thyroid disorders are conditions that affect the thyroid gland, a butterfly-shaped gland in the front of the neck. The thyroid has important roles to regulate numerous metabolic processes throughout the body. Different types of thyroid disorders affect either its structure or function.

The incidence of acute pancreatitis (AP) has been increasing worldwide, but the major etiologies remain gallstones and alcohol. Several studies have reported that smoking is an independent risk factor for developing AP. Classification of AP has traditionally used the categories of mild and severe disease.

Gigantism refers to a condition characterized by extreme physical size and stature. By definition, this originates during infancy, childhood or adolescence, when epiphyseal growth plates remain open. Although the term gigantism may be applied to a number of non-hormonally mediated overgrowth conditions in children, it is often used to specifically denote growth hormone(GH) excess. GH excess during childhood and adolescence is extremely rare, with the total number of reported cases thus far numbering only in the hundreds. Herein we present such a case.

The adrenal glands are controlled in part by the brain. The hypothalamus, a small area of the brain involved in hormonal regulation, produces corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and vasopressin (also known as antidiuretic hormone). Vasopressin and CRH trigger the pituitary gland to secrete corticotropin (also known as adrenocorticotropic hormone or ACTH), which stimulates the adrenal glands to produce corticosteroids. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, regulated mostly by the kidneys, causes the adrenal glands to produce more or less aldosterone.

The prevalence of diabetes (DM) is constantly increasing worldwide at an alarming rate. According to the International Diabetes Federation in 2015, an estimated 415 million people globally were suffering from this condition. Complications of DM account for increased morbidity, disability, and mortality and represent a threat for the economies of all countries, especially the developing ones. The present special issue has been devoted to the recent progress in our understanding of diabetic complications, including the underlying molecular mechanisms, new diagnostic tools that facilitate early diagnosis, and novel treatment options.