Endocrine Abstracts

Case report: A previously well 16 year old female presented with a one day history of being unwell with agitation and confusion on the background of a three month history of polydipsia and polyuria. Initial biochemistry was in keeping with severe diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA): pH-6.75, HC03- 2.6 mmol/l, blood glucose- 21 mmol/l and ketones >4 mmol/l. Hypokalaemia of 3.3 mmol/l. She was admitted to ICU given the severity of DKA, biochemical disturbance and altered mental stat...

Macroprolactin is a bio-inactive molecule which cross-reacts in prolactin immune-assays. ‘Macroprolactinaemia’ describes hyperprolactinaemia which is entirely explained by the presence of macroprolactin. Failure to recognize macroprolactinaemia is associated with inappropriate investigation and unnecessary treatment. While screening for macroprolactinaemia is regularly undertaken in the UK and Ireland and to a lesser extent in continental European and Japan, this is ...

The 19th century saw the emergence of an extraordinarily gifted group of Dublin doctors who enjoy eponymous recognition. Immediately on graduating Robert Graves’ travelled for over 2 years to many of the foremost medical centres in Europe. On his return he introduced formal bedside teaching and daily lectures which has become the model for clinical training in these islands. Graves’ main other interest was the treatment of febrile illness recognizing the importance o...

The 19th century saw the emergence of an extraordinarily gifted group of Dublin doctors who enjoy eponymous recognition. Immediately on graduating Robert Graves’ travelled for over 2 years to many of the foremost medical centres in Europe. On his return he introduced formal bedside teaching and daily lectures which has become the model for clinical training in these islands. Graves’ main other interest was the treatment of febrile illness recognizing the importance o...

Background: Osteogenesis imperfecta is a group of heterogenous disorders affecting connective tissue. The disorders are inherited by autosomal dominant or recessive patterns. The phenotypes vary both between and within the subgroups of which there are eight described by the modified Sillence criteria. The common features are reduced bone mineralization, predisposition to fracture and resulting bony deformities. In addition blue sclerae and joint hyperlaxity can be present....

Introduction: We report a patient with a giant prolactinoma due to Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) with consequential growth hormone deficiency and central hypothyroidism.Case report: A 12-year-old girl attended the genetic clinic, as her father had MEN-1 mutation. On questioning, she reported severe headaches, increasing in frequency over several months, with fatigue and hair loss. She had breast development ...

High levels of physical inactivity contribute to the development of obesity. We aimed to evaluate the benefits of exercise instruction in obese patients with type 2 diabetes who have demonstrated difficulty with weight management since diagnosis. Ethical approval was obtained from the local committee.Sixty-six patients were recruited from the diabetes out-patient clinics. All patients underwent treadmill-testing prior to randomisation. Patients were matc...

This study was designed to evaluate whether weight change in type 2 diabetes leads to deteriorating glycaemic control necessitating treatment escalation, or whether deteriorating glycaemic control results in medication change and possible weight gain.We studied 702 type 2 diabetic subjects with a follow-up of 56 plus/minus 2 months (mean plus/minus S.E.) treated on diet, metformin or sulphonylurea, alone or in combination. Patients who remained on diet alone (40 plus/minus...

The Diabetes Control and Complications Study, United States, and the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study both reported increasing weight gain in all groups of patients with diabetes. The present study was designed to examine retrospectively if this was the experience in a clinic with an emphasis on weight loss as a central component of the treatment offered, facilitated by frequent clinic visits, the attendance of a dietitian at all clinics, a relatively low rate of insu...

Acromegaly is a condition resulting from the action of excess growth hormone. We report the first case of acromegaly occurring in an individual as a result of growth hormone replacement therapy.Features of acromegaly developed in a forty-year old gentleman who was commenced on growth hormone replacement in 1993 following resection of a craniopharyngioma. Prior to commencing therapy, peak growth hormone response to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia was less ...