Endocrine Abstracts

Parathyroid UK is a national patient organisation committed to improving the quality of life for everyone with parathyroid disorders. We provide information and support to empower our 5,000 members affected by a parathyroid condition to become active in the management of their condition. In Primary Hyperparathyroidism too much parathyroid hormone is produced by one or more enlarged or overactive parathyroid glands, causing hypercalcaemia. This impairs quality of life and incre...

Nitric oxide (NO) is a regulator of pituitary gonadotrophs via local paracrine and autocrine actions. Gonadotrophs express neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) but the effects of NO on gonadotrophs are controversial and both stimulation and inhibition of LH release has been reported. nNOS -/- mice have reduced fertility, but this is attributed to ovary actions, because no difference was detected in basal or GnRH-stimulated LH release (Klein et al 1998). We have therefore exam...

Background: The term “neuro-cardio-facial-cutaneous (NCFC) syndrome” describes a group of phenotypically overlapping syndromes that result from germline mutations in genes of the RAS-MAPKinase pathway. This pathway plays a role in growth factor signalling and short stature is a consistent feature of NCFC syndromes. This diagnostic group includes Noonan syndrome (NS) and cardio-facio-cutaneous (CFC) syndrome. Growth hormone (GH) has been used with good effect in NS. T...

Background: We previously showed that in first 6 months of the UK Covid-19(C19) pandemic >6.6million HbA1c tests were missed, including 1.4million in people with diabetes(DM). Furthermore, C19 more significantly impacts people with DM / socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals.Aim: To examine variability in recovery rate of HbA1c testing, and links to demographics, including deprivation status.Methods: We examined HbA1c test...

Introduction: Lithium is a common pharmacological intervention for the treatment of bipolar affective disorder and is advocated by clinical practice guidelines (NICE 2021). Blood test monitoring is essential for management of lithium treatment and UK NICE guidance recommends 6-monthly serum testing of thyroid function. We here examine conformity to guidance and the consequences of monitoring outside these intervals.Methods: We extracted serum lithium/thy...

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. PCOS is associated with future type 2 diabetes/cardiovascular disease. Accurate diagnosis is important for early preventative interventions. However, it can take >2 years and contact with 3 or more health professionals before PCOS is diagnosed. We aimed to determine patterns of biochemical investigations performed for PCOS following initial consultation and assess their ...

Backgound: Adrenal incidentalomas (AI) are lesions that are incidentally identified while scanning for other conditions. The European Society of Endocrinology guidelines recommend that all patients with AI should undergo an overnight dexamethasone suppression test (ONDST) for the evaluation of autonomous cortisol secretion as defined by failure of suppression of cortisol to < 50 nmol/l. The reported prevalence of this is high (50% of patients in a recent publication) and m...

We report a 29 year old man (staff nurse) who initially presented with a grand mal seizure in October-2003 to the neurologists. A preliminary diagnosis of epilepsy was made, though the subsequent EEG only revealed predisposition to epilepsy. In December 2004 he again presented with a grand mal seizure despite being on Epilim. He also complained of episodes of lethargy, sweating and inability to concentrate towards the end of his shifts at work for a few months prior to this. B...

Introduction: Worldwide guidance advocates regular HbA1c testing for people with diabetes mellitus, usually 2-4/yr. We previously showed that HbA1c testing frequency is linked to outcome in terms of HbA1c control. Here we examine the effect of variability (standard deviation = SD) in test interval on change in HbA1c over 7 yrs (Jun 2012-Jul 2019) using laboratory data.Methods: We focused on people with HbA1c within the first 2 years who also had a HbA1c ...

Introduction: Previous studies have shown that PCOS (first described 1935) increases the future risk of hypertension and coronary artery disease.Aims: We investigated in women with PCOS, the link between social disadvantage and markers of cardiometabolic risk and how weight gain over time related to social disadvantage.Methods: In a primary care-based study, 1797 women were identified from patients attending one ...