Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: To determine the incidence of osteopaenia and osteoporosis in primary hyperparathyroidism.Methods: Retrospective review of 80 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism; Bone densitometry of the femoral neck, lumbar spine and distal ulna was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) at the time of diagnosis.Results: The median age at diagnosis was 68; The male: female ratio was 1:3; osteoporosis was present in 2...

Encephalocoeles are congenital defects in the skull through which meninges and brain tissues herniate. Basal encephalocoeles represent 1.5% of all encephalocoeles and are found in 1:35,000 live births. Transphenoidal basal encephaloceles are very rare, representing only 5% of all basal encephaloceles. The pituitary and surrounding structures are drawn into the encephalocele with visual and hormonal disturbances being recorded in the few cases described.A...

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterised by progressive joint destruction and inflammatory activation and hyperproliferation of synoviocytes. We have previously reported a marked shift towards reduced local androgen metabolism in active RA, driven by changing expression of SRD5A1 and AKR1C3 within macrophages. In this study we examined the role of altered androgen metabolism and availability in the inflammatory function of both macr...

Lipocortin 1 (LC1) is a well-characterized anti-inflammatory, -anti mitotic and anti-proliferative member of a structurally related family of Ca2+ and phospholipid-binding proteins. LC1 is readily detectable in the neuroendocrine system by Western blot analysis, ELISA, and immunohistochemistry (1). In these tissues, glucocorticoids regulate both the expression and subcellular distribution of LC1. Other studies have also demonstrated the presence of LC1 in endometrium tissue th...

Introduction: Obese persons may have low vitamin D levels due to behaviors (clothing, time outdoors) that can reduce synthesis of vitamin D. In overweight and obese individuals there are limited quantitative data regarding relationships among serum 25(OH)D, time spent outdoors, sun exposure, and clothing worn.Methods: We assessed environmental and behavioral factors that contribute to cutaneous synthesis of serum 25(OH)D in 63 overweight and obese indivi...