Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: It is recognised that osteocytes, by secreting sclerostin plays a more central role in bone homeostasis. Sclerostin is a physiological inhibitor of bone formation. By binding to the LRP5/6 receptor sclerostin inhibits the Wnt signalling pathway. A cross-sectional study was undertaken to ascertain whether an endogenous sclerostin circadian rhythm exists in healthy individuals.Subjects and methods: Six healthy young men with normal BMD were a...

A 52-year-old man was referred in June 2009 with weakness, unsteadiness, diarrhoea and weight loss of 14 kg in the last 4 months. His past medical history included hypertension, ischaemic heart disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was a heavy smoker and admitted to drinking heavily for the past 9 months. His serum sodium was 126 mmol/l, serum potassium 2.0 mmol/l, serum bicarbonate 31 mmol/l. His chest X-ray was normal. He had had persistent hypokalaemia for 4...

Benzophenones are organic chemicals widely used as stabilizers to UV light irradiation in plastic surface coatings and food packaging. They have been known that their derivatives appear to have cytotoxic effects. 2-Hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (Benzophenone-3, BP-3) and its metabolite, 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (Benzophenone-1, BP-1), are used mostly in the formulation of nail polishes, enamels, bath products, sunscreens and skin care products. In this study, the estrogenic e...

Background: Several studies have documented an altered body composition in Turner syndrome (TS), a model of premature ovarian failure. Body fat is increased and muscle mass is decreased. The ovarian failure necessitates substitution with female hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for a number of years, and HRT induces favourable changes in body composition with a decrease in body fat and an increase in fat free mass. It is unknown how HRT affects protein metabolism.<p class=...

The skeletal dysplasias or genetic skeletal disorders (GSDs) are a heterogeneous group of over 450 conditions associated with varying degrees of disproportionate short stature. The diagnosis of these conditions has relied on a combination of clinical and radiographic assessment. The original classifications of the GSDs was based on x-ray imaging, but Spranger and others predicted that there would be ‘families’ of GSDs with the same underlying molecular basis. The adv...

Despite significant progress, deficiencies of iron and iodine remain major public health problems affecting >30% of the global population. These deficiencies often coexist in populations. Iron deficiency has adverse effects on thyroid metabolism. Iron deficiency impairs thyroid hormone synthesis by reducing activity of heme-dependent thyroid peroxidase. Iron-deficiency anemia blunts, and iron supplementation improves the efficacy of iodine supplementation. Studies have dem...

In vitro diagnostics (IVD) in the European Union is facing a fundamental change with the introduction of a new regulation, the so-called In Vitro Diagnostics Regulation (IVDR). Originally, the IVDR was scheduled to enter into force in May 2022, however, in January 2022, the EU legislator made a differentiated partial postponement of the application of important parts of the IVDR. The major innovation and achievement of the IVDR is that most commercially manufactured IVD produc...

This talk will focus on contraceptive options for patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Key considerations for clinicians will be explored, including the choice of appropriate formulations for cycle regulation, control of symptoms of androgen excess and suppression of dysfunctional menstrual bleeding. Other issues covered during this session will include contraceptive options in patients with obesity or at high risk of complications such as venous thromboembolism, as...

A 36-year-old female was referred to Endocrinology by her GP in August 2019 with polycythaemia, obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, asthma, right shoulder and bilateral ankle pain [on 6-monthly steroid injections], easy bruising, hirsutism, PCOS and raised testosterone. Haematology had excluded likely causes of polycythaemia [JAK 2 negative]. The GP noted previous review by Endocrinology in another hospital [December 2012] regarding possible PCOS but was lost to follow up ...

Insulin resistance and androgen excess, alongside anovulatory infertility, are the cardinal clinical and biochemical features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Circulating androgen burden and metabolic dysfunction in PCOS are closely correlated, but an independent contribution of androgens perseto metabolic and other complications of PCOS remains poorly characterised. My work focuses on delineating the distinct impact of androgens on metabolic function, with a part...