Endocrine Abstracts

Cinacalcet, a calcimimetic, is licensed for the management of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP) where surgery is deemed inappropriate. It is unclear when patients might be deemed more appropriately managed by medical treatment rather than surgery. We report two cases in which cinacalcet has been used to predict the effect of parathyroidectomy and a choice to be made between surgery and conservative management.A 43-year-old woman had a parathyroid adenoma...

Background and Aims: Studies have revealed increased vascular mortality, particularly cerebrovascular mortality in hypopituitary adults. Cranial radiotherapy has been implicated. This study was designed to assess the impact of cranial irradiation upon cerebrovascular function in patients with pituitary disease.Methods: Three groups were studied: - Group 1- (n=12), patients with pituitary disease who have had cranial radiotherapy, Group 2- (n</i...

Backround: Recent research has heightened the controversy surrounding the effects of conventional hormone replacement therapy on cardiovascular risk, suggesting that use of HRT is associated with an increase in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Testosterone has also been associated with unfavourable cardiovascular parameters and the addition of testosterone to HRT may augment the risk of cardiovascular events in postmenopausal women.Aim: To elucida...

Agouti-related protein (AGRP) plays a key role in energy homeostasis with the carboxy-terminal domain acting as an endogenous antagonist of the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4-R). It has been suggested that the amino-terminal domain of AGRP binds to syndecan-3, allowing it to regulate local concentrations of AGRP at the MC4-R. This model assumes that AGRP is secreted as a full-length peptide. However, AGRP contains several consensus prohormone convertase cleavage sites: Lys52-Lys...

Aim: To analyse outcome of transsphenoidal surgery for acromegaly in Wales using stringent remission criteria.Method: We retrospectively analysed 90 patients who underwent transsphenoidal surgery (performed by 3 surgeons) as initial therapy for acromegaly in our centre between January 1980 and December 2001. A combination of modern, evidence-based remission criteria including mean day curve GH < 5 mU/l and /or a nadir GH < 2 mU/l after an oral glucose tolerance test ...