Endocrine Abstracts

Thyroid Associated Ophthalmopathy (TAO) is an autoimmune inflammatory condition that usually occurs in patients with Graves' disease. Current treatment for TAO is inadequate and anti-cytokine agents may represent a potential new therapeutic strategy. Orbital fibroblasts are central to the disease mechanism, and have been shown by immunohistochemisty to up-regulate adhesion molecule ICAM1 expression in response to certain cytokines including TNFalpha.In t...

We aimed to establish the extent of adult cystic fibrosis-related diabetes (CFRD) in Ireland, and examine the differences between patients with CFRD and those with normal glucose handling.We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) who attend the national referral centre for adult CF. Data including lung spirometry, sputum microbiology, bone mineral density and genotype were collected. Patients were diagnosed as having CFR...

IntroductionWe aimed to establish whether Body Mass Index (BMI) affected outcomes including duration of intensive care stay and in-hospital mortality following cardiac surgery in an Irish cardiac surgery centre.MethodsA retrospective analysis of a consecutive series of 1055 cardiac surgery patients from June 2001 to June 2003 was carried out.ResultsBMI (kg/m2) dat...

IntroductionLow Bone Mineral Density (BMD) is highly prevalent in adults with cystic fibrosis (CF) and is associated with increased fracture rates. We sought to establish how BMD changes with time in adults with CF and to determine what factors influence this change.MethodsA retrospective analysis of interval bone densitometry using Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scanning in 86 adults with CF was unde...