Endocrine Abstracts

Background: The use of radioactive iodine treatment (RAI) for the definitive treatment of benign hyperthyroid disorders has been well established. This study was conducted to determine the factors predicting the development of hypothyroidism following RAI therapy.Methods: All patients (n=104, 25 men, 79 women) who had RAI for hyperthyroidism between January 2008 and December 2009 were included. In 82.6% of patients antithyroid medications were u...

Introduction: Normocalcemic hyperparathyroidism is a less recognised variation of primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT). Patients present with normal calcium and elevated level of PTH.Case: A 70 years old woman presented to her general practitioner with left sided loin pain. She had no past medical history of note and she was not taking any medications. Ultrasound of the urinary tract showed bilateral nephrocalcinosis. Her blood tests showed raised PTH leve...

Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has shown to be associated with increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This study was undertaken to determine the changes of pro-inflammatory cytokines in patients with PCOS after rimonabant and/or metformin treatment.Methods: A 3 month randomised open labelled parallel study of rimonabant or metformin in 20 patients with PCOS with a body mass index >30 kg/m2 was undertaken. Subsequen...

Context: Hyperandrogenemia in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) represents a composite of raised serum concentrations of testosterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and DHEA sulfate (DHEAS). In patients with PCOS, testosterone and androstenedione are primarily derived from the ovaries and DHEAS is a metabolite predominantly from the adrenals. It has been shown that atorvastatin reduces testosterone levels in patients with PCOS.Objective:...

Introduction: With increased biochemical screening primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) is discovered incidentally while patients are still asymptomatic.Objective: To assess the impact of surgery on neuropsychological symptoms in people with apparent asymptomatic pHPT.Methods: Twenty-four patients with asymptomatic pHPT requiring parathyroidectomy, in accordance with NIH recommendations, were recruited prospectively between May 2005 ...

Aims and objective: Pegylated interferon is widely used in the treatment of hepatitis C. Thyroid dysfunction (TD) is a well recognised side effect of interferon treatment. As the use of interferon therapy in hepatitis C is on the rise, we conducted an audit to determine its prevalence and to formulate local guidelines for the monitoring and management of thyroid dysfunction in these patients.Methods: A case note based retrospective audit of all patients ...

Context: Weight loss and metformin therapy are beneficial in improving the hormonal and metabolic consequences of PCOS. Rimonabant has been found to reduce weight and improve the metabolic profile in patients with metabolic syndrome.Objective: To compare the effects of metformin and rimonabant on insulin resistance and biochemical hyperandrogenemia.Subjects: Twenty patients with PCOS and biochemical hyperandrogenemia were recruited...

Context: Rimonabant has been found to reduce weight and improve the metabolic profile in patients with metabolic syndrome as well as PCOS.Objective: To compare the effects of metformin and rimonabant in patients with PCOS with and without metabolic syndrome according to ATP III criteria.Design: A randomised open labelled parallel study comparing the effects on rimonabant and metformin in patients with PCOS.Su...

A 71-year-old woman was referred to the urology department with macroscopic haematuria. An ultrasound scan revealed a suspicious solid mass measuring 6.6cm arising from the left kidney. Subsequent CT scan confirmed the presence of a left adrenal mass along with omental and peritoneal disease and small-volume ascites. The patient was referred to the adrenal surgeons for consideration of left adrenalectomy in view of suspected adrenal cancer. At the surgical outpatient departmen...

Context: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disease that affects women of reproductive age and characterised by biochemical and clinical androgen excess.Aim: To review the available literature on the effectiveness of the various pharmacological interventions on androgen hormones in women with PCOS.Data source: We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane library and the Web of Science in April 2020 and...