Endocrine Abstracts

Amongst the different markers of ovarian function, AMH levels and antral follicle count (AFC) are the most objective and reliable predictors of ovarian response in women undergoing in-vitro fertilisation (IVF). Several factors, that have been reported to interfere with ovarian response, are taken into consideration when enrolling women into an IVF programme.The aim of this prospective study was to determine the correlation, if any, between baseline AMH l...

Sclerostin (SOST) and Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1) are antagonists of Wnt signalling, inhibiting osteoblast activity and indirectly stimulating osteoclast activity. SOST and DKK1 antibody therapy leads to increases in bone mass and bone formation. However, reported associations between plasma SOST and DKK1 concentrations and measures of bone mass and turnover are conflicting. This study in healthy older men and women (n =379; median 74.1 [IQR 71.5-77.0]y) investi...

AFC is related to ovarian function and outcome in assisted reproduction programmes. Current regimens for ovulation induction consider patient age to determine initial FSH dose and may exclude patients from treatment when FSH is high. Increased BMI is also an indication to defer treatment. We aimed to investigate the relationship between AFC and other predictors of ovarian response in candidates for assisted conception.We studied 89 patients referred to a...

Objective: To investigate vitamin D status in patients with autoimmune hypothyroidism.Methods: The study group consisted of 100 patients with newly diagnosed Hashimato’s thyroiditis and 100 subjects as the control group. Parameters of calcium metabolism, thyroid function tests and 25(OH) vitamin D levels were measured.Results or case presentation: Mean age of the study groups was 33.4±4.8 years with female:male, 72:28. Vi...

Objective: To investigate vitamin D status in patients with autoimmune hypothyroidism.Methods: The study group consisted of 100 patients with newly diagnosed Hashimato’s thyroiditis and 100 subjects as the control group. Parameters of calcium metabolism, thyroid function tests and 25(OH) vitamin D levels were measured.Results or Case Presentation: Mean age of the study study groups was 33.4±4.8 years with female:male=72:2...

Vitamin D is commonly used in the treatment of hypoparathyroidism after thyroid surgery. It is well recognised that excess vitamin D therapy leads to hypercalcaemia, and that this effect may be prolonged, lasting upto several weeks with some vitamin D preparations. We describe a case of severe, life threatening hypercalcaemia from vitamin D therapy, in which the duration of action of vitamin D was exceptionally long. A 51 year old lady presented with acute, severe haemorrhagic...

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is very common in older persons. It is not clear how serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels change during aging.Objective: To examine longitudinal changes in serum 25(OH)D levels in two representative cohorts of Dutch older persons during 6 and 13 years of follow-up, respectively.Methods: Data of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA) were used, an ongoing cohort study in older persons. T...

Vitamin D is essential to the control of calcium homeostasis and is mainly provided by exposure to sunlight. In the UK circulating Vitamin D is subject to seasonal variation with peak values occurring in early Autumn and trough values in late Spring. Requests for Vitamin D assays are increasing but few laboratories quote seasonal reference ranges and many commercial suppliers quote reference ranges for populations living in warmer, sunnier climates. This study established seas...

One of the most significant health measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic has been extended periods of lockdown. Vitamin D is essential for many biological functions including pregnancy and bone health and modulate the immune system. Many studies also suggested a beneficial effect of replenished stores of vitamin D (25(OH)D >50 nmol/l) against severe and long term COVID-19 and self-supplementation is recommended by the government. Here we report on the vitamin D...

Results of several clinical studies have suggested that there is an excess risk of cardiovascular disease in persons with vitamin D deficiency.We examined association between serum levels of vitamin D - 25(OH)D and select cardiovascular risk factors in 254 postmenopausal women at a mean age of 55.38±205 years.Vitamin D levels, lipoproteins, TNF-α, Interleukin 6, adiponectin, insulin (using RIA methods) and glucose were as...