Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Cortisol is an essential steroid hormone released from the adrenal gland. Plasma cortisol levels follow a circadian rhythm under the control of the Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal axis, reaching peak levels in the morning. Cortisol has long been known to exert immunosuppressive effects and accordingly, glucocorticoids are central in treating inflammatory disease. Cortisol’s propensity to downregulate certain pro-inflammatory cytokines and upregulate o...

Recent investigations into the pathogenesis of Kallmann's syndrome (KS) have pointed to the importance of anosmin-1 and FGFR1 (fibroblast growth factor receptor-1), the gene products for the X-linked and an autosomal dominant form of KS respectively, in olfactory, GnRH-1 neuronal systems and kidney ontogeny. Disturbed anosmin-1/FGFR1 pathways lead to partial or complete failure of OB (olfactory bulb) development and arrest of GnRH-1 neuronal migration, explaining the predomina...

Approximately 15-20% of phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGL) are metastatic. Metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) has been reported infrequently. We present three cases of MSCC secondary to metastatic PPGLs. MSCC can occur in patients with PPGLs and should be considered in patients with either spinal symptoms or spinal metastases on imaging. Our series has shown radiotherapy followed by therapeutic MIBG to be effective in treating spinal metastases. Each case shou...