Endocrine Abstracts

Aims and Methods:Obesity treatment is often unsuccessful despite the efforts of seemingly motivated patients. Awareness among the obese, regarding obesity, is important to facilitate weight loss and to prevent weight gain. We assessed the awareness of obese patients with regard to obesity, its complications and treatment options. Consecutive subjects attending outpatient clinics with BMI>/=30and <70years of age were interviewed.<p class="abstex...

Various criteria have been proposed to diagnose and treat gestational diabetes due to uncertainties about the influence of mild degrees of maternal glucose intolerance on pregnancy outcomes. We used receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis to correlate macrosomia (more than or equal to 4000g) with varying thresholds for the 2 hour 75 gm oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results in pregnant women screened at our hospital from 1998-2001.Wom...

Management of Thyrotoxicosis in a Non-compliant Pregnant WomanA 23-year-old woman with Grave's disease presented to thyroid clinic 29 weeks into her first pregnancy having recently moved into the area. She had failed to attend hospital thyroid clinics elsewhere and frequently changed her address.Despite propylthiouracil 300 mg daily she had marked tremor, tachycardia 100 bpm, ophthalmopathy, and a large smooth goitre. TSH <0.0...

An adrenal incidentaloma is a mass in the adrenal gland that is found on imaging that has been performed for reasons other than imaging the adrenal. With the increased use of axial imaging increasing numbers of lesions are found that require assessment. Adrenal incidentaloma are found in 4.5% of abdominal and thoracic CT scans. The incidence increases with age, being found in <1% of scans in those aged <20 y but in around 10% at 70 y. These adrenal masses are encounter...

The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of Incidental Thyroid Nodules (ITN’s) on Computed Tomography (CT) scans of the chest, assess variation in reporting by radiologists and to apply recent guidance to assess which nodules may require further investigation. We performed a retrospective review of 742 CT scans which included the chest performed in a regional hospital. Thyroid abnormalities were reported in 9.8% (n=76) of CT scans. There was consi...

The growth hormone receptor antagonist was discovered via expression of mutated GH genes in transgenic mice. Although we were attempting to generate potent GH analogs, our mouse studies indicated that the compound was ‘inhibiting’ GH action. We subsequently showed that it was a GH receptor antagonist, the first of its type. Many hurdles needed to be ‘jumped’ in the development of this compound into a drug including protection of intellectual property; fundi...

Introduction: Islet transplantation (ITx) is a therapeutic option for patients with Type 1 diabetes. However there is attrition of graft function and the majority of patients require exogenous insulin injections and/or further transplants, within five years. Mouse models help elucidate mechanisms of islet graft failure and the NOD/Lt-scid IL2rγnull (NSG) mouse is useful to study human islet engraftment but few published studies exist. As diffe...

Calcium mobilization from intracellular stores represents an important cell signalling process that is regulated, in mammalian cells, by inositol-1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3), cyclic ADP ribose (cADPR) and nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP). Intracellular calcium is important for mobilization of secretory granules to the plasma membrane in preparation for exocytosis. NAADP mobilizes calcium from lysosome-related acidic compartments and it has recently...

Introduction: Addison’s disease (AD) is a rare condition (reported prevalence of 40–110 per million) that requires prompt recognition and optimal management to prevent the risks associated with cortisol deficiency.Aim: To assess the prevalence, presentation and clinical course of patients diagnosed with AD in the geographical area of Banbury in Oxfordshire.Patients and methods: Notes of subjects with AD currently register...

Introduction: Cushing’s disease (CD) is a rare condition, associated with significant morbidities and potentially fatal, if untreated.Objective: To assess the long-term morbidities in a large series of patients with CD during a prolonged follow-up period.Patients and methods: All subjects with CD who presented/followed-up in our Department between 01/1967 and 06/2009 were studied. All information was collected as documented in...