Endocrine Abstracts

Phyto-oestrogens are plant-derived compounds that have oestrogenic and/or anti-oestrogenic activity. They are constituents of many human foodstuffs but exposure is on the increase due to increasing availability of ‘herbal’ type medicines. The current study was initiated following the identification of large concentrations of lignan related phyto-oestrogen metabolites in the urine from a girl under investigation for precocious puberty.A GC-MS pr...

It is known from the literature that primary empty sella syndrome (PES) and secondary empty sella syndrome (SES) are distinguished. Empty sella syndrome is a radiographic finding characterized of a herniation of suprasellar cistern into the sella turcica. SES is a result of influence of surgery or radial therapy on hypothalamic-pituitary area. The aim of our study was a comparison the clinical features of primary and secondary empty sella syndrome.Fifty ...

Primary empty sella (PES) is a frequent radiological entity in general population. The herniation of sub arachnoid space in the sella turcica can induce various visual and/or endocrine disorders. In this work we want to study first symptoms leading to diagnosis, clinical and paraclinical aspects of 36 adults with PES. Diagnosis of PES is made by TDM and/or IRM after exclusion of secondary empty sella. In this study empty sella is considered as complete in 51.5% cases and parti...

UV filters are produced in high amounts for multiple uses. Their main application is in sun lotions for skin protection against accelerated ageing or cancer, but they are also found in many other cosmetics or in plastic materials to prevent their radiation-induced damage. Regardless of these protective properties, UV filters seem to interfere with both the reproductive and the thyroid endocrine axis. We here screened for effects of the UV filter benzophenone 2 (BP2) on thyroid...

Endocrinopathies are amongst the most common complications of thallasaemia, which is a hereditary disorder of haemoglobin synthesis and excessive iron deposition is thought to be the main reason.Our hospital serves a multiethnic population and consequently we see a substantial number of patients with thallasaemia who are screened for endocrine complications. Those found to have endocrine problems are reviewed in our joint thallasaemia-endocrine clinic. B...

Extracts of black cohosh (BCE) are frequently used as an alternative to conventional HRT to treat menopausal symptoms, particularly in Germany and the United States. In fact, BCE is the 14th most popular herbal product in the US and in 2003 sales were at least $15.7 million. Evidence for an increased incidence of breast cancer in long-term users of HRT has reduced its use and may increase the use of alternative treatments. These still require rigorous scientific investigation,...

Smoking by women during pregnancy can result in a 30–48% reduction in sperm count and testis size in the exposed offspring in adulthood, probably because of a decrease in the number of Sertoli cells. Until recently Sertoli cell proliferation was thought to be androgen independent because fetal Sertoli cells do not express the androgen receptor, but new evidence suggests that androgens may play the lead role in regulating Sertoli cell proliferation in fetal (Tan et al.<...

This is the first prospective study to compare the efficacy and safety of medical therapy and surgery as primary therapy in acromegaly.A total of 104 patients with untreated acromegaly were enrolled. Eighty-one patients randomized to receive either octreotide LAR 20 mg (n=40) or surgery (n=41) completed the 48 weeks treatment period, and constituted the population used for this analysis, regardless of response to treatment.<p class="abs...

Disorders of male reproductive health, including testicular cancer, cryptorchidism, hypospadias and low sperm counts, are common and may be increasing in incidence. These conditions manifest at different life stages (low sperm counts and testicular cancer in adulthood; cryptorchidism and hypospadias at birth) but are proposed to originate in fetal life. These disorders have therefore been hypothesized to comprise a ‘testicular dysgenesis syndrome’ (TDS), which result...

Gynecomastia is a benign enlargement of the male breast due to the imbalance between androgens and estrogens in the breast tissue. In up to 40% of cases no evident reasons could be found. This idiopathic gynecomastia may be caused by excess aromatisation within breast tissue. Aromatase is a key enzyme in estrogen biosynthesis. Mutations and polymorphisms of aromatase gene could lead to its overexpression. Some endocrine disruptors - chemicals that interfere with hormone functi...

The adrenolytic agent mitotane [o,p’-DDD or 1,1-(o,p’-dichlorodiphenyl)-2,2-dichloroethane] is a derivative of the insecticide DDT and is used for the treatment of adrenal carcinoma. It induces necrosis and atrophy of the adrenal cortex. Estrogenic action after single exposure but intense antiestrogenic action after repeated exposure of porcine ovarian follicles has been observed in vitro (Wojtowicz et al. 2004).The aim of the stu...