Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Turner Syndrome (TS) is a complete or partial loss of the second X chromosome affecting approximately 1:2000 females, classically associated with short stature and hypogonadism. Cardiovascular complications in TS include increased risk of congenital cardiac malformations, hypertension, ischaemic heart disease and aortic dissection. Cardiovascular related deaths account for over 40% of the excess mortality in TS and requires lifelong monitoring and follow-up. The Cl...

There are a number of endocrine changes which occur during the aging process, including changes in the growth hormone – IGF1 axis, a fall in DHEAS levels, changes in the renin-angiotensin system, and alterations in the hypothalamo-pituitary gonadal axis. Testosterone levels decline with age, with an average decrease in testosterone levels of approximately 1.5% per year. The prevalence of subphysiological testosterone levels is approximately 20% by the age of 50 and 50% by...

Background: Cardiovascular related deaths account for over 40% of the excess mortality in Turner Syndrome (TS). Hypertension, a modifiable risk factor for both aortic dilatation and dissection, is more commonly encountered in TS during childhood and adolescence. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to determine the prevalence of hypertension in paediatric patients with TS and in relation to the methodologies of blood pressure evaluation.<p class="ab...

Introduction: T1DM is an autoimmune condition. At diagnosis, 80% of patients have positive glutamic-acid decarboxylase antibodies (GADA). We report a case of T1DM diagnosed 1 year after the onset of autoimmune limbic encephalitis (LE).Case: A 13-year-old female was diagnosed with voltage-gated-potassium channel (VGKC) positive LE after presenting with complex partial seizures and auditory hallucinations. A year later and prior to the diagnosis of diabete...

To examine use of I131 therapy we conducted a retrospective analysis of patient case notes that received I131 between May 2002 and Dec 2003.46 patients received radioiodine therapy during 18 months. All had a prior thyroid uptake scan confirming their diagnosis and written informed consent obtained.Results: GD: 29 patients (18F:11M; aged 52.6±2.8 yrs). 11 had a FT3 of <10 pmol/L pre radioiodine...

The HLA class II region, CTLA-4 and PTPN22, have been consistently associated with autoimmune disease (AID). Recently, three DNA variants, two of which (M55V and 001Msp) are present in NF-κB inhibitors SUMO-4 and MAP3K7IP2, and one of which (fcrl3_3) modulates NF-κB binding and production of the B cell surface molecule FCRL3, have been reported to be associated with a number of AIDs. The aim of this study was to investigate genetic variati...

Acute critical illness has an effect on normal physiology resulting in changes in the inter-relations of the endocrine system.Evidence suggests that these changes may be due to the pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g. interleukin-6 (IL-6)), which are known to have a paradoxical effect on the hypothalamo-pituitary axis, stimulating the adrenal axis, whilst suppressing the remaining axes.Multiple myeloma (MM) patients have elevated IL-6 ...

Glucocorticoids (GC) drive multiple adverse effects in skin e.g. epidermal thinning, dermal atrophy and impaired wound healing (WH). Our previous findings indicate increased expression of the GC-activating enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) in primary human dermal fibroblasts (HDF), full-thickness skin from older donors and during the inflammatory phase of mouse skin WH. We also reported protection from age-induced dermal atrophy and improved W...

Exposure of pregnant sheep to increased concentrations of testosterone during midgestation results in a PCOS-like condition in the female offspring that includes increased hepatic IGF1. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular pathophysiology of this increase. We studied 11-month-old female offspring whose mother had been treated with testosterone propionate (TP: 100 mg) in oil (n=8), or oil control (n=4) twice weekly from day 62 to 102 gestatio...

Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD), Graves’ disease (GD) and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) are common, but there is limited information on the prevalence of co-existing auto-immune diseases (AID). We prospectively collected 3309 patients with AITD and determined prevalences of other autoimmune diseases in index cases and relatives. Overall, 10.3% of 2806 GD patients and 18.1% of 503 HT subjects reported a co-existing AID. Rheumatoid arthritis was the commonest AID in ...