Endocrine Abstracts

Testosterone deficiency is associated with several cardiovascular risk factors. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) improves insulin sensitivity, inflammation and cholesterol. Liver X receptor (LXR) is a nuclear receptor which regulates lipid and glucose metabolism, stimulates cholesterol efflux and ApoE, and suppresses inflammation. LXR agonists cause hepatic steatosis but protect against atherosclerosis. TRT attenuates high-cholesterol diet-induced hepatic steatosis in th...

Hypogonadism is highly prevalent in men with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and/or cardiovascular disease (CVD). Low testosterone levels are associated with CVD risk factors including obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia and hypertension. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) has been shown to have beneficial effects on these parameters; however, safety needs to be verified. An audit of 308 (50% with T2D, 32.1% CVD, 82.8% ED) hypogonadal men (age 59.02±13.23 years; mean bas...

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH, Müllerian inhibiting substance) is a protein hormone expressed by the Sertoli cells of the testes and the granulosa cells of the ovaries. AMH is best known for its paracrine functions in reproductive organ development and function. The hormonal roles of AMH are largely unexplored, but functions are emerging in growth and brain development. To date, there is no putative function for AMH in the blood of adults. AMH belongs to the TGF-β...

Testosterone deficiency is a common in men with type two diabetes (T2D). We have shown testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) improves insulin resistance and glycaemic control. The mechanisms by which testosterone mediates this action are unknown but may be due to a combination of effects on muscle, liver and adipose tissues. This study investigates the expression of Glut4 and HK2, (two key proteins involved in insulin sensitivity) in muscle tissue of the testicular feminised ...

Prolactin is associated with seasonal transitions into and out of anestrus in the mare. The earliest anestrous transitional changes are declining progesterone secretion and a concomitant prolactin decline. Ovarian changes include slowed follicular development and prolonged luteal activity. Dopamine antagonist administration during the autumnal transition prevented a seasonal progesterone decline, suggesting a cause-and-effect between prolactin and progesterone production. The ...

Background: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is associated with insulin resistance, hyperandrogenism and dyslipidaemia but the effects of these disturbances on long-term health are not known.Aims: To determine the relative risk of diabetes, cancer, large vessel disease (LVD) and death for young women diagnosed with PCOS.Design: Data were extracted from The General Practice Research Database (GPRD), a longitudinal, anonymised resear...

Introduction: Low testosterone levels are associated with cardiovascular morbidity and an increased risk of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH is closely associated with insulin resistance and atherosclerosis.AIM: We studied the effect of long-term testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) on liver function and cardiovascular risk factors in hypogonadal men.Method: Retrospective audit of 308 hypogonadal men receiving TRT as in...

Background: There is a close association between low testosterone and metabolic syndrome. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) has beneficial effects on cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in men with hypogonadism.Aim: This is a retrospective audit of CV parameters in hypogonadal men treated with testosterone undecanoate (Nebido) in standard clinical practice.Methods: Patients with hypogonadism on testosterone undecanoate injections...

Objectives: The over-recruitment and activation of leukocytes characteristic of early atherosclerosis is considered the driving force behind atheroma development and is regulated by the concerted activities of several cytokines, chemokines and adhesion molecules surrounding a lipid core. Low serum testosterone levels are associated with cardiovascular disease in men and clinical trials demonstrate that testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) improves symptoms and reduces the in...

There are very limited data on long-term mortality in pituitary ACTH dependent Cushing’s disease (CD).We report on our data from Stoke-on-Trent, UK, spanning 50 years and provide a meta-analysis of six other reports which addressed mortality of CD. Case records of 60 CD patients from 1958-31 Dec 2009 from Stoke-on-Trent were reviewed. The standardised mortality ratio (SMR) overall and separately for patients in remission and having persistent diseas...