Endocrine Abstracts

A 63-year-old type 2 diabetic gentleman with paranoid schizophrenia presented in October 2008 with systemic sepsis arising from multiple neuropathic foot ulcers. Foot MRI confirmed extensive osteomyelitic change. This admission followed two previous similar episodes which culminated in surgical debridement of the ulcers and amputation of the second and third toe of his left foot. Post-operatively, as his condition improved he was unable to comply with IV antibiotics, VAC dress...

BackgroundTransdermally absorbed alcohol-based testosterone gel has presented an alternative method of gonadal therapy. This study was designed to investigate the clinical effectiveness of this alternative hormonal replacement.Method97 men requiring testosterone replacement therapy for primary (21%) or secondary (79%) hypogonadism were recruited. The subjects underwent physical examination, psychological asse...

BackgroundThis study was designed to monitor the clinical effectiveness of transdermal replacement. Psychological well-being was assessed by questionnaire at 3, 6 and 12MethodWe recruited 97 men requiring testosterone replacement therapy for primary (21%) or secondary (79%) hypogonadism. All had a physical examination, biochemical and haematological blood sampling (Meston et al 2004) and psychological assessm...

BACKGROUND: Dopamine agonists are the treatment of choice in macroprolactinomas. A number of these tumours do not respond to the commonly used doses. In such cases the outcome after alternative approaches has not been clarified.AIM: To assess the response of macroprolactinomas to bromocriptine (BRC) or cabergoline (CAB) and the result of further interventions in resistant cases.PATIENTS AND METHODS: All records of the patients pres...

BACKGROUND: Lymphocytic hypophysitis (LHy) is an uncommon inflammatory disorder of the pituitary with features mimicking those of sellar tumours, thereby often being misdiagnosed. However, no long-term follow-up studies have been published.OBJECT: To evaluate the clinical/radiological characteristics and the prognosis of patients with LHy.PATIENTS-METHODS: The records of the patients who presented to the Department of Endocrinology...

Background:Long acting somatostatin analogues are an effective treatment for acromegaly but require administration by nurses.To improve patient convenience we have taken care into the community with endocrine specialist nurse education of practice nurses in administration of injections.Methods:After an initial pilot study, a questionnaire was administered to patients receiving, and practice nurses administering, Somatuline Autogel(SA) n=10 and Sandostati...

Background: In clinical practice there is considerable confusion as to whether pituitary imaging is indicated in patients presenting with a marginally elevated serum prolactin level (<1000 milliunits per litre) and no other discernible cause of hyperprolactinaemia.Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of radiological abnormalities of the pituitary in patients presenting with marginal hyperprolactinaemia (<1000 milliunits...

Background: Long-acting depot somatostatin analogues injections are useful drugs in the medical treatment of acromegaly. No previous study has assessed the value of acute octreotide suppression test in predicting responses to depot injections.Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the value of the acute octreotide suppression test (100 micrograms subcutaneously, GH measurements hourly for 8 hours) in predicting the long-term response to long...

Fifty patients (male:female 23:27) with a phaeochromocytoma or paraganglionoma have been seen within the Oxford hospitals since 1985. Further information has been located on 48. Patients had a median age of 42.6 years (range 19.4-74.6) and a median follow up of 13.9 months postoperatively (range 0.6-146.3). The adenoma was unilateral in 44 cases (88%, left 20, right 22) and bilateral in 4 cases (8% 2 Von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL) 1 Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) 1 Sporadic)....

BACKGROUND: Antiangiogenic effects have been demonstrated with currently available somatostatin analogues. The mechanism remains unclear, although some studies suggest inhibition of the pro-angiogenic tumour vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production.OBJECTIVE: To determine whether pre-operative Lanreotide (LAN) in patients with acromegaly influences circulating VEGF.PATIENTS AND METHODS: Serum samples from six acromegal...