Endocrine Abstracts

Heparin is being frequently used in most hospitals within the U.K. The use of low molecular weight heparin is increasing also amongst different specialities. The risk of bleeding and thrombocytopaenia with heparin treatment is well recognised. However other side effects of heparin therapy like hyperkalaemia, which can be life threatening due to the high risk of arrhythmias are less commonly perceived.We describe a 59 year old female patient with type 2 d...

Many studies have been demonstrated that baicalin, a kind of flavonoid isolated from an important medicinal plant Scutellariae Radix, could inhibit tumorigenesis, but the molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. So this study was designed to investigate whether baicalin could perturb the cell cycle progression on insulinoma cell line, RINm5F, from American Type Culture Collection and discuss the possibly molecular mechanisms. After baicalin treatment, changes in morphology ...

In recent studies pancreatic stellate cells, an undifferentiated cell type, have the capacity of extended selfrenewal and are able to differentiate spontaneously into cell types of all three germ layers expressing markers for smooth muscle cells, neurons, glial cells, epithelial cells, chondrocytes and secretory cells (insulin, amylase). Here we investigated the protocol that induced pancreatic stellate-like cells to neuron in vitro. Pancreatic stellate-like cells from adult S...

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to differentiate into various lineages in vivo and in vitro. Recent reports have shown that adult mouse bone marrow can differentiate toward a pancreatic endocrine beta-cells phenotype; Once engrafted into the host, bone marrow-derived cells exhibit markers and physiological behavior characteristic of pancreatic beta-cells, thus providing a new methods for the therapy and treatment of diabetes. In this study, we explore...

BackgroundIt has been shown that diets high in cis-MUFA and high-antioxidant diets are beneficial in type 2 diabetes (Garg 1998; Ros 2003; Franz et al. 2002). The aim of our study was to assess compliance with current dietary recommendations (Diabetes UK 2003) with particular emphasis on these nutrients.MethodsEthical approval was obtained to use a food diary and lifestyle questionnaire. 120 Cau...

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfated ester (DHEAS) are the most abundant circulating steroid hormones. Their physiological function has yet to be determined. Hypoadrenal subjects lack this hormone because DHEA replacement is not part of the current standard of care. There are conflicting reports on the impact of DHEA replacement in hypoadrenal subjects on insulin sensitivity.We aimed to test this hypothesis and examine skeletal muscle physiolog...

Anabolic steroids enhance performance in atheletes, but can lead to life threatening consequences. We report a 33-year-old male amateur body-builder using anabolic steroids, presenting with acute inferolateral myocardial infraction and marked hyperlipidaemia. He had no known cardiovascular risk factors. Despite rapid thrombolysis, peak creatinine kinase was 3,348 iu/l, signifying significant myocardial damage and a markedly raised total cholesterol of 10.6 mmol/l, with a low H...

Objectives: To evaluate the precipitants of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and to audit its management in a busy District General Hospital following the introduction of local guidelines.Methods: Data on all patients admitted with DKA between January 2003 and March 2004 were collected and analysed and clinical management was audited against the standards set in the guidelines.Results: Seventy eight episodes were recorded in 70 patients...

IntroductionThe association between Type 2 diabetes and decreased quality of life (QoL) scores has been well documented. Insulin resistance (IR) is a key factor in the pathogenesis of both cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. In this study we assess the impact of increasing IR on QoL scores in patients yet to develop or with previously unknown diabetes diagnosed at screening review, and consider the effect of IHD as a potential confounder of these...

Method: Male diabetic patients attending erectile dysfunction clinic) and general diabetes clinic were studied . Plasma androgen levels were obtained and erectile function assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). Results:Low testosterone showed correlated with increasing age and BMI.Low testosterone correlated with HDL.HbA1c showed positive correlation with intercourse satisfaction....

Infection with HIV may be complicated by hypoinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia. We report, for the first time, a case of hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia in a pregnant woman with HIV. A 30 year old patient was diagnosed to have AIDS during the 8th week of her fourth pregnancy and was commenced on standard antiretroviral therapy. At 27 weeks of pregnancy she presented with a grand mal seizure and was found to be hypoglycaemic with venous blood glucose of 1.2mmol/L with inappropriately ...

BackgroundBlack and African patients with type 2 diabetes have a greater frequency and more severe complications of the disease, even after correction for associated factors. Asymptomatic sickle cell trait (SCT; hemoglobin AS) is also common among black Africans and may independently cause endothelial damage, manifested as isolated target organ complications or infarction. We examined the possibility that patients with concurrent type 2 diabetes and SCT ...

Case report;A 42-year-old male presented with headache, coarserning of facial features, enlargement of body parts of 2 years duration. There was no visual disturbance. His height was 168cms, wt 71kg and BMI of 25Kg/ per met square.He was normotensive .Biochemical and hormonal profile revealed he was euglycemic, euthyroid, serum cortisol(am)280nmo/lit(normal 450-700nmo/lit) non suprresible GH values of 46 ng/ml with 75gms of oral glucose (normal< 1 ng ...

Background: There are now several lines of evidence indicating that a decrease in beta-cell mass, resulting from an increase in apoptosis, is a key feature in both type-1 (T1DM) and -2 diabetes (T2DM). Interestingly, recent studies suggest that the insulin receptor signalling cascade may play key functions in preventing beta-cells from undergoing apoptosis. However, the molecular basis underlying these events remains to be determined.Aims: this study exa...

BackgroundPPAR-gamma agonists have been proposed as therapy to lower plasma ACTH in Cushing's disease. However, cyclical secretion may explain some of the 'responses' seen. In contrast, patients with Nelson's syndrome have continual high ACTH levels, and can present with pituitary mass effects and pigmentation. Since no established medical therapy exists, we assessed whether prolonged high-dose rosiglitazone therapy reduces circulating ACTH levels in Nel...

Dissection or rupture of the aorta accounts for death in 2-8% of women with Turner Syndrome (TS), and dilatation of the aortic root, has been reported as a predisposing factor. We compared measures of arterial structure, stiffness and endothelial function to investigate whether women with TS have a fundamental arterial wall defect which extends beyond the arch of the aorta. Local Ethics Committee approval was obtained.Age-matched women with TS (n=93), 46...

Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of mortality in women with Turner Syndrome(TS), and may be congenital or acquired. There is a high prevalence of risk factors for ischaemic heart disease(IHD) including hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes and obesity. This oestrogen dose-ranging vascular physiology study compared women with TS (n=14) and 46,XX gonadal dysgenesis(GD) (n=11) to determine the relative contributions of oestrogen deficiency and genetics, and to assess the...

Transdifferentiation of non-endocrine pancreatic cells towards a beta-cell phenotype may enable insulin independence in many individuals from a single donor. This will be dependent on near-physiological proinsulin biosynthesis, processing, storage and secretion. The aim of this study was to fully characterise endocrine potential of pancreatic acinar cells before and after transdifferentiation.Expression of exocrine/endocrine markers in the AR42J rat acin...

Background: Cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2), the enzyme responsible for converting arachidonic acid to prostanoids such as PGE2, has been reported to play an anti-apoptotic role in invasive breast cancers. We have now examined whether COX-2 and PGE2 protect against apoptosis in the MIN6 insulin-secreting cell line.Methods: Serum-deprived MIN6 cells were exposed to an inhibitor of COX-2 (NS-398) and/or PGE2 for 48 hours and the ...

This study examined the effects of maternal diet during late pregnancy and body shape at birth, on postnatal plasma concentrations of IGF1 and leptin.From day 85 of gestation pregnant sows were offered the standard diet (S: n=4) or the S diet plus 30% extra energy derived from either carbohydrate (C: n=5) or palm oil (PO: n=5). Piglets were selected from the normal distribution curve of Ponderal Index (PI: kg/m3), long and thin (Thin<10 <su...

IntroductionCurrent guidelines advocate the use of statins in all patients with diabetes for primary prevention of CHD, regardless of cholesterol levels. Measurement of coronary artery calcium score (CACS) in diabetic patients is reported to offer a superior prognostic assessment of an individual's risk of cardiovascular disease than the Framingham Risk assessment. To date, there have been no studies of CACS in the UK diabetic population.<p class="ab...

IntroductionDiabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) affects 1-3 percent of pregnancies complicated by diabetes but can result in significant morbidity and mortality for mother and foetus. Euglycaemia in DKA is a recognised but infrequent presentation. It was originally defined as initial blood glucose less than 16.7 millimol per litre and bicarbonate less than 10 millimol per litre.Case ReportA 29-year old female with ty...

Type 2 diabetes is associated with insulin resistance, failure to suppress lipolysis and EGP and impaired FFA. It is not known which defect develops first.Eleven European women with previous gestational diabetes (PGDM) and normal glucose tolerance post-partum, as a high risk group for the development of Type 2 diabetes, and 11 matched controls (BMI 23.8±4.5 kg m-2 versus 24.6±4.9 kg m-2 respectively) were studied. Insu...

A 30year old Afrocarribean man with sarcoidosis presented with unexplained weight gain from 98kg to 112kg over 6 months. He had previously documented bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy, erythema nodosum, arthralgia, a positive gallium scan and a raised serum angiotensin converting enzyme(ACE).He also described hypersomnolence, impaired concentration, decreased libido and intermittent headaches with no other neuro-psychiatric symptoms. He was not on any regu...