Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Rathke’s cleft cysts (RCC) are benign, cystic lesions arising from remnants of Rathke’s pouch and reported in 13–22% of normal autopsies. Their prognosis after surgical intervention is not clearly defined.Aim: To analyse the outcome of patients who presented to our Department with RCC between 1/1977-3/2009.Patients and methods: Thirty-three cases were identified [13 males/20 females, median age at diagnos...

Background: Pituitary apoplexy has been reported in around 2% of surgically treated adenomas. Around 45% of all pituitary tumours presenting with apoplexy are non-functioning ones (NFAs). Currently, no data exist on recurrence rates in patients with NFAs who have had classical apoplexy.Aim: We therefore, put together our data aiming to provide the first reliable series on recurrence rates in patients with NFA and classical pituitary apoplexy.<p class...

Background: Data on the relationship between the hormonal response to somatostatin analogues and morphological subtype of somatotroph adenomas are sparse. We have previously shown that nadir GH <1.75 μg/l on the octreotide suppression test (OST) has positive and negative predictive value 94 and 100%, respectively in predicting achievement of ‘safe’ GH levels following treatment with octreotide LAR (Karavitaki et al. 2005).Aim: T...

Background: There is lack of consensus in the management of pituitary apoplexy. Following the 11th Clinicopathological Pituitary Conference at the RCP (2009), a multidisciplinary group produced evidence-based guidelines for management of apoplexy. A patient with apoplexy and significant neuro-ophthalmic signs or reduced level of consciousness will usually undergo surgical decompression. It is unclear what defines a significant neuro-ophthalmic deficit. There is no objective to...

Background: Non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFAs) are slow growing tumours with reported 5-year recurrence rates following resection up to 51%. The time point that it is safe to stop surveillance imaging is not clearly defined.Aim: To clarify the time spectrum of recurrence in patients with NFAs offered solely surgery as primary treatment and to estimate the safe time to stop surveillance pituitary imaging.Methods: Case-note an...

Background: Recently mutations in the aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein (AIP) gene have been found to occur in familial and sporadic somatotroph adenomas. These tumours tend to respond less well to somatostatin analogues, are diagnosed at an earlier age and behave more aggressively. AIP is expressed in sporadic somatotroph adenomas (Leontiou, JCEM, 2008).Aim: To evaluate the change in AIP immunostaining in sporadic acromegaly patients treated...

Background: Cabergoline is effective in achieving normoprolactinaemia and tumour shrinkage in about 70% of patients with macroprolactinoma. Only a few studies have followed-up the adenoma shrinkage for periods >2 years;the need for continuing imaging thereafter is not certain.Aim: To evaluate tumour volume changes in patients with macroprolactinoma responsive to cabergoline during a long follow-up period.Patients and methods: M...

Despite being identified almost two decades ago, the biological roles for C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) have remained poorly elucidated. Both CNP and GC-B are highly conserved from flies and fish to humans. Recent investigations involving the disruption of the CNP gene (Nppc) or that of its GC-B receptor (Npr2) implicate a role for CNP and GC-B in bone formation and growth. Intriguingly, CNP and GC-B knock-out mouse models also exhibited pituitary growth hormone deficiency....

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is an autosomal dominant negative disorder characterised by the occurrence of multiple adenomas including hyperplasia and/or neoplasm of the parathyroid glands, pancreatic islets and pituitary glands. Germline mutations in the menin gene predispose to the MEN1 syndrome; however, about 10–20% of patients with MEN1 do not have a detectable menin mutation. Recently, a mouse strain with a MEN1-like phenotype has been re...

Background: Fat distribution in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is thought to favour accumulation of abdominal visceral fat, but there has been no systematic comparison of fat distribution in PCOS and normal controls using MRI scanning.Aim: Our aim was to compare distributions of visceral, abdominal subcutaneous and gluteo-femoral subcutaneous adipose tissue in PCOS cases versus control women using a cross-sectional design.<p class="abste...