Endocrine Abstracts

Steroid hormones and bile acids are potent regulators of metabolic phenotype. The enzyme 5β-Reductase (AKR1D1) has a crucial role in bile acid synthesis and also generates 5β-reduced dihydrosteroid metabolites, regulating intra-cellular steroid availability though the clearance of cortisol, testosterone, androstenedione and progesterone. As AKR1D1 sits at the interface of bile acid synthesis and steroid metabolism, we have hypothesised that it plays a key role in met...

Steroid hormones and bile acids are potent regulators of metabolic phenotype. The enzyme 5β-reductase (AKR1D1) has a crucial role in bile acid synthesis and also generates 5β-reduced dihydrosteroid metabolites, regulating intra-cellular steroid availability though the clearance of cortisol, testosterone, androstenedione, and progesterone. As AKR1D1 sits at the interface of bile acid synthesis and steroid metabolism, we have hypothesised that it plays a key role in me...

2–3% of the UK population are prescribed glucocorticoid (GC) therapy and their adverse effects contribute to a significant health burden. Suppression of endogenous GC secretion is a recognized complication of therapy, but the magnitude of the problem, together with its clinical consequences have not been determined. We conducted a retrospective study across all specialties in a large secondary–tertiary care center identifying 2782 patients who underwent 3666 250 &#95...

Background: The short Synacthen test (SST) is the most widely used dynamic assessment of adrenal reserve. In some situations, the SST may be difficult to perform. Random basal cortisol levels could provide an alternative screening assessment to rationalize which patients need dynamic testing. This is highly clinically relevant, given the large numbers of patients taking prescribed glucocorticoids who are at risk of iatrogenic adrenal suppression.Methods:...

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterised by intra-hepatocyte lipid accumulation. Simple steatosis, which is a reversible condition, can progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis and eventually hepatocellular carcinoma. The aetiology of NAFLD is not fully understood and it is suggested that glucocorticoid reactivation through the activity of the 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) enzyme may promote hepatic lipid accu...