Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Mutations of the LMNA gene cause a wide range of diseases including lipodystrophy, myopathy [including dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)], neuropathy and progeroid syndrome, and are collectively known as A-type laminopathies.Case report: A 51-year-old Caucasian male with history of heart, liver and kidney transplants was referred for evaluation and treatment of post-transplant diabetes. He was diagnosed with hypertriglyceridemia at age 38. At 43...

Our aim was to investigate whether pollen-allergy can affect fractures in postmenopausal women. A total of 125 postmenopausal pollen-allergic women (mean age 61.26 yr) were split into four groups: treated neither with H1 histamine receptor (H1R) antagonist nor with inhaled corticosteroid (n=43), treated only with H1R antagonist (n=53), treated both with H1R antagonist and inhaled corticosteroid (n=17), treated only with inhaled corticosteroid (n=12)...

Aim: To explore the role of paediatric endocrine nurse specialists in supporting information needs of girls with TS and their parents.Methods: A purposive sample of 15 families with daughters aged 9–16 years were recruited from a tertiary paediatric growth clinic to participate in an exploratory qualitative study. 27 semi-structured interviews were recorded. Data were analysed using the framework approach and constant comparative method. Analysis re...

I have been the module leader for the Paediatric Endocrinology: exploring practice module for several years. Amongst those nurses who access or contribute to the course it is clear to see the wealth of knowledge, clinical expertise, enthusiasm for the subject area and professional commitment to delivering high quality nursing care to children, young people (CYP) and their families. Excellent examples of nursing care for CYP are presented in the assignments and every year I app...

Introduction: The age range at diagnosis, complexity of the syndrome and the sensitive and emotional nature of the issues involved in a diagnosis of Turner Syndrome (TS) present specific challenges for health professionals in sharing information with girls and their families. However little is known about the perceived information needs of parents and there has been no study of the views of girls with TS.Methods: A qualitative design was employed to expl...

Due to remarkable improvements in treatment and supportive care over the past several decades, survival rates for childhood cancer currently exceed 85%. Nevertheless, survivors exposed to cranial radiotherapy (CRT) are at particularly high risk for long-term morbidity, such as endocrine insufficiencies, metabolic complications and cardiovascular morbidity. Research report that 40-50% of survivors will develop an endocrine disorder over their lifetime. Deficiencies of one or mo...

Survival rates of childhood cancer have improved markedly and today more than 80% of those diagnosed with a pediatric malignancy will become 5-year survivors. Nevertheless, survivors exposed to cranial radiotherapy (CRT) are at particularly high risk for long-term morbidity, such as endocrine insufficiencies, metabolic complications and cardiovascular morbidity. Deficiencies of one or more anterior pituitary hormones have been described following therapeutic CRT for primary br...

Incorporating research findings into clinical practice is the primary reason why research is done. The main goal is to offer evidence-based care to the patients. Retaining the nursing findings and integrating them into the healthcare will provide an injustice to the nursing profession.Obtaining support from the leader team is important in a succesful research nursing project.We also need resources, time, training and energy if we w...

Introduction: Clinical nurse specialists (CNS) practice at an advanced level of nursing. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) competency framework for paediatric endocrine nurses sets out expected levels of practice and academic attainment for ‘competent, experienced and expert’ practitioners. This paper reports the findings of an initial scoping exercise undertaken to explore current roles, academic attainment and aspirations of this group of nurses in order to inform...

Introduction: Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is the most common childhood malignancy and accounts for 25% of all childhood cancer. With dramatically improved survival rates the long term treatment complications are very important. ALL patients treated with cranial radiotherapy (CRT) and chemotherapy are at increased risk of GH deficiency (GHD), hyperparathyroidism, thyroid cancer and meningiomas.Method: We present a 45-year-old woman diagnosed with ...