Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Many studies showed that H. pylori infection could be an independent predictor for insulin resistance and could regulate metabolism and body weight.Aim: To evaluate changes in metabolism induced by an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) before and after antibiotic eradication treatment in patients colonized by H. pylori.Materials and method: Prospective case-controlled study with a sample of patients colonized by H. py...

Introduction: Chromogranin-A (CgA) is a 49 kDa protein of the granin/secretogranin family originating from dense-core secretory granules within cells of the diffuse endocrine system. CgA is currently the best available diagnostic biomarker for neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) with recent clinical guidelines advocating the measurement of CgA as part of the baseline biochemical profile in patients presenting with symptoms suspicious of a gastroenteropancreatic NET.<p class="abs...

Introduction: Glucocorticoid replacement therapy uses twice or thrice daily regimens of hydrocortisone (HC) with variable distribution of the dose over the day. Deconvolution analysis determines the mass of hormone that needs to be secreted to attain a particular serum concentration. We have used this methodology to determine the amount and distribution of cortisol over a 24 h period.Methods: Seventy-nine adults (41M) aged 60–74 years and 30 childre...

Background: The gold standard investigation for suspected spontaneous hypoglycaemia is the supervised 72 h fast. This aims to ‘capture’ a hypoglycaemic episode, to confirm Whipple’s triad, and to measure simultaneous insulin and C-peptide levels. These should confirm or refute endogenous hyperinsulinaemia.75% patients with confirmed insulinoma actually develop hypoglycaemia within 24 h of fasting. However, some confirmed cases require sign...

Objective: Diabetes mellitus is characterized by vascular complications associated with arterial thickening. Although strict glycaemic control is clinically beneficial, limited or no evidence exists as to whether arterial damage is positively related to blood glucose levels and variability.Methods: Study purpose was to asses the relationship between arterial thickness and 24 h mean and S.D. of blood glucose in type 1 diabetes. Fifteen type...

Insulin resistance and androgen excess are the cardinal features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The severity of hyperandrogenism and metabolic dysfunction in PCOS are closely correlated, but underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Aldoketoreductase type 1C3 (AKR1C3) is an important source of adipose androgen generation, activating androstenedione to testosterone (T). We postulated that AKR1C3 plays a critical role linking androgen metabolism and...

Supervised 72 h fast is historically the gold standard screen for spontaneous hypoglycaemia. Consensus guidelines published in 2009 suggested that β-hydroxy-butyrate levels be measured every 6 h, and the glucose response to an i.v. injection of glucagon be assessed at the time of documented hypoglycaemia, or at the end of the 72 h fast. We incorporated these recommendations into our protocol, and here examine the results of the first 10 cases.A rise...

The TSH B/I ratio is normally reduced overnight and is substantially reduced in patients with overt central hypothyroidism due to h-p axis tumours before and after treatment. It is unknown if similar changes in the TSH B/I ratio in the absence of overt central hypothyroidism contribute to the increased TSH levels seen in cancer survivors who undergo h-p axis irradiation. Thus, we selected 9 patients with the highest TSH levels out of a previously reported cohort of 37 euthyroi...

Background. The endothelial dysfunction prevalent in hypertension and diabetes is associated with an imbalance in the levels of nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide (SO). NAD(P)H oxidase is the predominant source of SO in the vasculature. Objectives. To manipulate levels of SO using the NAD(P)H oxidase inhibitors, apocynin, phenyl arsine oxide (PAO) and 4(2aminoethyl)benzenesulfonyl fluoride (AEBSF) and relate this to NO bioavailability. Methods. NO bioavailability was compared in...

Background: TSH levels within the normal range have been associated with increased blood pressure (BP). TSH itself might be involved, especially as extrathyroidal actions of TSH exist.We investigated whether elevated TSH levels after acute rhTSH administration may result in alterations in BP in euthyroid individuals.Methods: Twenty-six euthyroid female subjects thyroidectomised and on T4 suppressive dose, were evaluated ...