Endocrine Abstracts

Background. Males with coronary disease have lower levels of endogenous testosterone than unaffected males. It is not known if low testosterone is a cause, effect or an epi-phenomenon of ischaemic heart disease.We hypothesised that androgen deficient men treated surgically with complete resolution of their symptoms would have a higher subsequent testosterone than men with persistent angina.Methods. Subjects were recruited after angiography. All subjects were biochemically ...

Hormonal activation of the androgen receptor plays a critical role in male fetal sex differentiation.Current hypotheses concerning estrogen/androgen balance and the role of estrogenic environmental contaminants have led us to investigate the capacity for androgenic/antiandrogenic activity in such chemicals. We have previously developed a sensitive in vitro assay using a telomerase-immortalised human cell line capable of detecting putative endocrine disrupting activi...

Leptin is known to be produced by human pituitary adenomas, and inhibits the proliferation of HP75 cells in vitro. The HP75 cell line is derived from gonadotroph tumour cells from a clinically non-functioning human pituitary adenoma transfected with SV40. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of interleukins (IL) IL1-alpha and IL-6 on growth of HP75 cells and their effects on the growth inhibitory actions of leptin.HP75 cells were plated in 2...

BACKGROUND: We have previously shown that men with coronary artery disease (CAD) have lower serum bioavailable testosterone levels than men with normal coronary arteries and this may have detrimental effects in coronary disease. It has been suggested that low androgen levels in men with CAD could be accounted for by the high prevalence of statin therapy and other factors such as smoking. We investigated the effects of statin therapy and smoking on testosterone in men with CAD....

BACKGROUND: Previous work has demonstrated a relationship between impaired carbohydrate metabolism and low serum levels of androgens in men. Men with diabetes have lower testosterone levels, and administration of physiological doses of testosterone improves glucose tolerance in these men. Men with coronary artery disease (CAD) have lower androgen levels than men with normal coronary arteries. We studied the relationship between testosterone, glucose, hypertension and DM in a p...

Aim: To identify the role of unmetabolised arachidonic acid (AA) produced by phospholipase A2 (PLA2) enzymes, and its 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) and cyclooxygenase (COX) products in the insulin secretory response of human islets of Langerhans. Material and Methods: Expression of COX-1 and COX-2 mRNAs was determined by RT-PCR. Insulin secretion from perifused human islets was measured by radioimmunoassay, in the presence of inhibitors of PLA<su...

Introduction: Klinefelter`s syndrome is a chromosomal abnormality characterised by presence of one or more extra X chromosome(s). The commonest karyotype is 47 XXY. We report a case of craniopharyngioma in a patient with Klinefelter`s syndrome.Case report: A 72-year-old single male presented with three-month history of decreased left eye visual acuity with associated frontal headache and lethargy. His past medical history included osteoporosis and Klinef...

IntroductionSkin damage is common in diabetes. They can be classified into three groups: dermatoses associated with diabetes, acute and chronic skin complications of diabetes and dermatoses associated with antidiabetic treatments. Bullosis in diabetics, also called Bullosis diabeticorum, is one of the cutaneous complications of diabetes. It is a rare bullous dermatosis particular by its exclusive occurrence in diabetics.Observation...

Case history: A 34-year old Caucasian nurse presented to her GP with a 7 month history of abdominal pain. She was found to have PTH-dependent hypercalcaemia with Stage 3A chronic kidney disease (corrected calcium 3.43 mmol/l, phosphate 0.62 mmol/l, total vitamin D 32 nmol/l, PTH 214.9 pmol/l, creatinine 117 μmol/l and eGFR 45 ml/min/1.73m2). On direct questioning, she reported fatigue, generalised weakness and intermittent joint pains affecting her lower back and bo...

Background: Thyroid stimulating receptor hormone receptor antibodies (TRAb) markers are useful in confirming diagnosis of Graves’ disease, but also recognised as a predictor of relapse. Good practice dictates that a TRAb is measured at the commencement of treatment, to confirm a diagnosis of graves’ disease. Repeating the TRAb before discontinuation of treatment can assist in guiding treatment. If TRAb remains elevated, the chances of relapse are inc...