Endocrine Abstracts

Hyponatremia is one of the commonest electrolyte abnormality. Various neurological conditions including Guillain Barre syndrome could precipitate it. Very few citations in literature report SIADH in CIDP.A 68-year-old gentleman was admitted with worsening confusion and unsteady gait following a flu like illness few weeks ago, with increasing drowsiness for 3 days. His past medical history included hypertension and benign prostatic hypertrophy, being trea...

BackgroundThe role of endocrine testing in idiopathic gynecomastia is controversial. Previous studies suggested that such testing is rarely productive and best done selectively.ObjectivesA retrospective study was performed to evaluate the usefulness of a routine endocrine testing in patients presenting with gynecomastia.MethodsThe medical records of 71 patients wi...

We report the case of a 41-year-old woman who was under investigation for deranged liver function tests following an insurance medical when she also serendipitously was found to have hypercalcaemia - 2.70 millimols per litre (Reference range 2.45-2.65 millimols per litre). She was completely asymptomatic and on no medication. She had an elevated Parathyroid hormone level of 11.6 picomols per litre (Reference range 0.9-8.0 picomols per litre), consistent with primary hyperparat...

Case: In April 2008, a 68-year-old male was referred to the endocrine clinic with symptoms of hyperthyroidism and was prescribed carbimazole 20 mg daily. A week later, he developed sudden onset dizziness, together with reduced hearing in his left ear and associated tinnitus. Similar symptoms developed in his right ear shortly thereafter. Seven weeks after starting carbimazole, he attended the ENT outpatient clinic with severe vertigo, tinnitus and bilateral hearing loss. Otosc...

Background: Hypothyroidism occurs in 2.5% of pregnancies. We are using a database follow up system for pregnant women with hypothyroidism in our hospital. All the women with hypothyroidism are added on a database system at their first visit to the antenatal clinic. Any adjustment to thyroxine was made on the first visit after checking TFT and repeat TFTs were done at 20 and 30-weeks gestation. Any adjustments to thyroxine were communicated to them via letter. The aim of this s...

BackgroundIn postmenopausal women, rapidly progressive hirsuitism or virilization raises the suspicion of an androgen-secreting tumor. Adrenal tumours are usually ruled out by hormonal testing and imaging studies. Small virilizing ovarian tumours may not be detectable by imaging studies.CaseA 61-year-old woman presented with hirsutism and male-pattern baldness developing over a two year period. 40 years previ...

IntroductionHypercalcemia is a recognised feature of parathyroid and neoplastic disorders and similarly erythrocytosis is recognised in some benign and malignant neoplasm.Case reportA 71-year-old man presented to the admissions unit with an episode of collapse. No significant neurological or cardiovascular cause was identified. The results of his routine investigation revealed haemoglobin of 19.7g/dl and a ...

The 1997 working party recommendations for the management of patients with pituitary tumours suggest formal assessment by an endocrinologist prior to tertiary referral. We have examined the extent of endocrine assessment in such patients performed both by endocrine and non-endocrine specialists in a large district general hospital. Using ICD 9 & 10 coding records on patients discharged between 1993 and 2000, we identified 60 patients with pituitary pathology. Of these, 1...

Radioiodine therapy (RAI) is widely used as definitive treatment for hyperthyroidism. Of the several regimes in use, we have used a standard 555 MBq dose of RAI to treat all patients with hyperthyroidism. Treatment is considered to have failed if patients remain hyperthyroid at 12 months and a repeat 555 MBq dose is administered. We have studied 584 consecutive patients for failure rate of RAI when it is used according to this regime (mean follow-up 3 years (range 1-10)). We h...

We report the case of a 34 year old woman with recurrent hyperthyroid Grave's disease. She was initially found to be thyrotoxic in July 1996. Treatment was commenced with carbimazole, of which she received 12 months in a titration regimen. She relapsed in October 1999, six months following the delivery of her first child, and was restarted on carbimazole, remaining euthyroid on a dose of 10mg. She conceived again in May 2002 (whilst on carbimazole) and treatment was continued ...