Endocrine Abstracts

Phaeochromocytoma crisis is a rare life-threatening emergency and a diagnostic challenge.Over a 5 year period four patients (2 male, mean age of 38.5 years, range 29-51 years) presented to our intensive care unit with unexplained severe cardiopulmonary dysfunction. Other clinical features included pulmonary infiltrates (4/4), vomiting (3/4), palpitations (2/4), breathlessness (4/4), acute renal failure (2/4), fever (1/4) and abdominal discomfort (1/4). Hypertension was pre...

Paragangliomas are rare tumours that arise from extra-adrenal chromaffin cells within the sympathetic paraganglionic axis. While neoplasms of the adrenal medulla, (phaeochromocytomas) are normally characterized by catecholamine (CA) hypersecretion, paragangliomas can be nonfunctional. We report our findings from 5 patients (4 males, 1 female) with paragangliomas. In 4 out of 5 patients the initial presentation was related to the space-occupying effect of the tumour. Episodic s...

Bilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy is a treatment option for ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome after failed pituitary surgery (Cushing's disease) or when the ACTH source cannot be resected or localized (ectopic ACTH syndrome). It has not, to our knowledge, been reported in the treatment of ectopic ACTH secretion in patients with small cell lung cancer.A 47 year old presented with haemoptysis and a right hilar mass, biopsy of which confirmed inoperable ...

A 69-year-old woman was admitted with new uncontrolled diabetes, severe hypertension and bilateral leg oedema. Cushing’s syndrome was suspected when she developed resistant hypokalemic alkalosis on diuretic therapy. Detailed questioning also revealed a history of episodic sweating, palpitation and tremor.Investigation & management: ACTH-dependant Cushing’s syndrome was confirmed: Serum ACTH 516 ng/l; urine free cortisol 20 045 nmol/24 h; 09...