Endocrine Abstracts

Steroid-dependent patients have a lifelong dependency on replacement therapy and a lifelong vulnerability to sudden death from under treated adrenal crisis. Yet evidence about the adequacy of medical response to adrenal crisis within the UK is largely anecdotal.We invited members of the main UK support groups representing steroid-dependent patients to complete an online questionnaire identifying the frequency, causes and location of their adrenal crises ...

Steroid-dependence is a life-long condition with a risk of premature mortality from undertreated adrenal crisis, hospital omission of steroids, or running out of maintenance drugs at home. We invited members of the main UK support groups representing steroid-dependent patients to complete an online questionnaire about their experiences of adrenal crisis. Respondents (n=1042) were asked to provide demographic information that explored predisposing factors, including co...

Background: Adrenal incidentalomas are becoming increasingly common due to the improvements in imaging techniques, increasing numbers of radiological investigations and an aging population. The current follow-up protocols are designed to avoid missing clinically relevant lesions (e.g. malignancy or hormone hypersecretion) by recommending repeated radiological and biochemical investigations. Large amounts of money are spent on patients who as it seems mostly have benign and non...

Background: Patients with macroprolactinoma often present with pituitary hormone deficits associated with hyperprolactinaemia or mass effect. Restoration of normoprolactinaemia and tumour shrinkage by dopamine agonist is expected to reverse, at least partially, the pituitary dysfunction. Studies assessing prospectively the pituitary function in subjects with macroprolactinoma treated with cabergoline are lacking.Aim: To check the time course of recovery ...

We present the case of a 62 year old gentleman who was diagnosed with Acromegaly in 1998.He commenced testosterone replacement therapy in the form of Sustanon every three weeks in October 2000 following a testosterone level of 6.6 nmol/l.PSA levels during treatment with Sustanon were: 01/03/01–5.1μg/l.06/04/01–4.9 μg/l at which point he was referred for a urological opinion.<p class="a...

Introduction and aim: Long-term unemployment leads to poorer health and increased inequalities. The Welfare Reform Bill, published on 14 January 2009, supports the progression back to work for incapacity benefit claimants.Due to the chronic nature of endocrine conditions, affected patients may be at an increased risk of long-term unemployment. We do not currently hold data describing the unemployment or return to work rate for this group. Our aim is to d...

Introduction: Russell’s Viper is a venomous snake found in South and South East Asia. The snake bite causes coagulopathy, neurotoxicity, renal failure, local effects and even death. But hypopituitarism is an extremely rare complication1. There are only a few case reports from India and Burma and we report the first case from Sri Lanka.Case report: A 49 year old man from a remote part of Sri Lanka was bitten by a Russell’s viper 3 yea...

Background: Pituitary adenomas (PA) are considered very rare conditions, with an estimated prevalence of 25 cases/100 000 inhabitants. However, community-based studies on the prevalence of PA are currently scant.Aim: To ascertain the prevalence of PA and the characteristics of the patients diagnosed with them in a large population of inhabitants.Methods: A survey on the GP surgeries of Banbury (Oxfordshire, UK) covering 89 334 inha...

Background: Pituitary adenomas (PA) have traditionally been considered as very rare conditions, with an estimated prevalence of 25 cases/100 000 inhabitants. However, these data have been extracted either from cancer registries or from hospital databases and therefore, may not be accurate.Aim: To ascertain the prevalence of PA and the characteristics of the patients diagnosed with them in a large population of inhabitants.Methods: ...

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...