Endocrine Abstracts

Bariatric surgery in people with morbid obesity results in effective long-term weight loss, and resolution or reduction in the severity of several co-morbid conditions. The majority of obese people with type 2 diabetes who undergo bariatric surgery, achieve remission of their diabetes or a significant reduction of their glucose lowering therapy in the long-term. We conducted a retrospective observational study to assess changes in body weight and glycaemic control in obese typ...

Objectives: To assess the aetiology and management of hyperkalemia amongst inpatients in a district general hospital.Methods: Individuals with hyperkalemia (defined as potassium>6.5 mmol/L) were identified from a biochemistry lab database. Review of case records in a six month period to assess the aetiology and management. Patients on renal replacement therapy and those<18 years were excluded.Results: 45 patients were ident...

It is well documented that inappropriate exposure to glucocorticoids (GCs) in early life stunts growth and predisposes the individual to metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes. Evidence suggests that these programming actions involve alterations in GC receptor expression. However, the precise mechanisms remain to be determined. As GCs are known to modify both the neuroendocrine control of growth hormone (GH) secretion and the peripheral effects of GH on growth and meta...

Hypoparathyroidism is a rare disorder characterised by hypocalcaemia and insufficient or undetectable parathyroid hormone (PTH). Recombinant human PTH, rhPTH(1-84), has been approved in the United States and Europe as an adjunctive treatment for adult patients with hypoparathyroidism. When hypoparathyroidism is established, long-term administration of rhPTH(1-84) is a treatment option. Thus, long-term safety and efficacy data for rhPTH(1-84) are needed. To this end, we evaluat...

Hypoparathyroidism is a disorder of mineral homoeostasis due to parathyroid hormone (PTH) deficiency. Conventional treatment with oral Ca and calcitriol may maintain serum Ca levels but does not replace other physiologic PTH effects. RACE is an ongoing open-label study of recombinant human PTH1-84 (rhPTH1-84) for hypoparathyroidism treatment in adults (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01297309). Patients initially received rhPTH1-84 25 or 50 μg/day subcutaneously, with 25-μg in...

Introduction: The GH/IGF-I axis is implicated in colorectal cancer development. We have previously shown regional variations of the GH/IGF-I axis, and other tumour associated genes between the rectum (RS) and caecum (C). Whether variations in the GH/IGF-I axis align with differing expression patterns is unknown.Aim: To determine the association between colonic expression of the GH/IGF-I axis and that of tumour associated genes by region.<p class="abs...

Background: Testosterone replacement therapy is available in a variety of preparations. Nebido, a long acting testosterone undecanoate injection offered at 3 monthly intervals, has recently become available thus reducing the need for frequent injections.Aim: To investigate the efficacy and safety of Nebido.Patients and methods: Eighteen patients aged between 22–77 years (median 44.5 years) with primary or secondary hypogonadis...

Recent studies have demonstrated that rather than being a collection of heterogeneously dispersed cells, the pituitary gland is wired by multiple and specific endocrine cell networks to synchronise hormone release. Prolactin (PRL) is primarily important for lactation. In response to changing physiological demands during pregnancy and lactation the pituitary has the ability to expand and contract its cell number. We have investigated changes in lactotroph morphology and cell-to...

Introduction: Achieving an HbA1c of less than 48 mmol/mol minimises the risk of complications in children and young people with type one diabetes. Elective admissions to hospital are one option employed to improve glycaemic control in patients with an HbA1c above target. There is however limited evidence to support such admissions. We aimed to retrospectively compare glycaemic control between patients electively admitted to hospital to stabilise their dia...

Pregnancy complications such as pre-eclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction are associated with abnormal placental cell (cytotrophoblast; CT) proliferation and apoptosis. The mechanisms regulating these events are unclear however altered levels of IGFs have also been reported in these conditions. Using an explant model of human first trimester placenta we have shown that both IGF-I and –II act through IGF1R mediated signalling pathways to enhance CT proliferation, d...