Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: The International Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) 2022 Nutritional Guidelines recommend calculating carbohydrate requirements using an indivualised equation, such as the Schofield equation. Up to 2023, our centre used the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) 2011 guidelines that only require age to determine average carbohydrate requirements. The latest National Paediatric Diabetes Audit (NPDA) showed our centr...

Prolactin secretion is sexually dimorphic and sensitive to changes in gonadal steroid and glucocorticoid status. Reports that the regulatory effects of glucocorticoids on prolactin release are mediated in part via annexin 1 (ANXA1, 1), have led us to compare prolactin secretion and lactotroph morphology in ANXA1 knockout (KO) and wildtype (WT) mice and to determine the effects gonadectomy +/- testosterone replacement (80 micrograms per day, s.c.) on (a) the plasma prolactin co...

Background: Thyroid function is affected by critical illness – termed as non-thyroidal illness – and usually presents with low serum TSH and FT3 levels but normal FT3 concentrations. Critically ill patients may also have impaired immune function that could contribute to increased susceptibility to acquired infections and mortality. Thyroid hormones influence neutrophil levels and function but the effect of non-thyroidal illness on neutrophil fun...

Background: Clinical scoring systems were used traditionally in the diagnosis of hypothyroidism before biochemical diagnosis became the norm. There are two well validated clinical scoring systems (Billewicz and Zulewski) for diagnosing hypothyroidism. Both these scores were validated in younger patients with hypothyroidism and may not be useful in older patients. We conducted this study to determine the clinical utility of these two scoring systems among patients over the age ...

Annexin 1 (ANXA1) was first identified as a glucocorticoid (GC)-inducible protein in macrophages and is a mediator of the powerful anti-inflammatory actions of these steroid hormones. In the pituitary ANXA1 plays a critical role in mediating the early-onset negative feedback effects of GCs on the release of ACTH. ANXA1 is expressed in abundance in the anterior pituitary gland where it is localized specifically to the S100-positive folliculo-stellate (FS) cells. GCs act on FS c...

Aim: To study those factors which influence the sensitivity and positive predictive value of combined MIBI scintigraphy and ultrasound scan in the localisation of parathyroid adenomas.Method: A retrospective review of notes was done of 150 patients with hypercalcaemia referred to the Endocrine outpatients’ clinic, between the years 2002–2005.Notes of 135 patients with biochemical evidence of primary hyperparathyroidism (P...

Introduction: A joint ‘late effects’ clinic for follow-up of survivors of childhood cancer has been in operation in our institution since 1995. In patients who have undergone cranial irradiation, dynamic anterior pituitary function testing using a standard insulin tolerance test (ITT) or, if contraindicated, a glucagon or arginine/GHRH test was undertaken at around five yearly intervals.Methods: Case note review was undertaken for 24 patients (...

The glycosyl components of serum gonadotrophins are important determinants of biological half life, receptor binding and bioactivity of these hormones. We have compared serum FSH glycosylation from healthy women with regular ovulatory cycles (group A; n=8) to those identified inpharmacological preparations gonadotrophins (group B merional and group C puregon). Blood samples were taken within 4 days of the onset of menstruation in the control group (group A). Pharmaceuti...

Resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) is a rare, autosomal dominant disorder characterised by a reduced sensitivity of peripheral tissues to thyroid hormone. Thyroid function testing shows elevation of free T4 and T3 with non suppressed TSH levels.Vascular function in these patients has not been fully evaluated. We have studied central arterial stiffness in a cohort of RTH patients, comparing them with age and sex matched controls.Me...

Anecdotal reports suggest that management of Graves’ disease (GD) is more challenging in patients with concomitant autoimmune disease, however there are few studies evaluating this premise and thus no satisfactory evidence base to guide clinicians. We aimed to identify the impact of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) on treatment outcomes of GD.We identified all GD patients (n=265) who attended endocrinology clin...