Endocrine Abstracts

Fifty year-old year old gentleman presented unwell whilst on holiday with headache and vomiting. He also reported a clear fluid trickling down his nose. On examination he was pyrexial, photophobic and had demonstrable neck stiffness. Lumbar puncture and a subsequent culture confirmed streptococcal meningitis which responded to antibiotics.His CT scan head suggested a pituitary mass and a subsequent MRI revealed an unusual massive pituitary tumor extendin...

Introduction. We present a rare and unusual case of direct trauma to the pituitary region.History. A 22 year old female, 8 weeks post-partum, fell downstairs on to a metallic clothes drier. A metal spike 3mm wide and approximately 20cm long penetrated her right eyebrow. Computed tomography showed a haemorrhagic track involving the hypothalamic region, and extending to the left internal capsule. Irritability and instability of vital signs necessitated in...

Background: Macroprolactinomas account for 10% of prolactin secreting tumours. There are few studies looking at the long-term outcome of these tumours. This study analysed clinical, endocrine and radiological characteristics of macroprolactinomas and evaluated the long-term management of these patients in a tertiary care centre.Methods: Retrospective audit of 21 consecutive cases of macroprolactinomas diagnosed between 1995 and 2007 in Teesside.<p cl...

Alstrom syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder characterised by obesity, sensorineural deafness, cone-rod dystrophy and hypergonadotrophic hypogonadism. Diabetes in these patients is characterised by severe insulin resistance.We describe the management of diabetes in a 28 year old male patient with Alstrom syndrome and severe insulin resistance. Obesity developed early in childhood and at 3 years weight was 22.2 kg. Genetic studies revealed that the patient is a compo...

Aim: To ascertain the types of treatment, results and correlation between GH and the simultaneous IGF-1. Setting: Endocrine and Neurosurgical Unit. Methods: Endocrine and laboratory database of 17 acromegalic patients (11 male) with mean (SD) age 51(3) years and follow up 11 years. Results: Pituitary surgery 11 patients (3 twice), external radiotherapy 10 (one heavy particle therapy). GH levels have come down from a median value 32.5 mU per litre (Mean plus/minus SEM: 51.9 plu...

Pituitary apoplexy is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition caused by pituitary infarction or haemorrhage. We have retrospectively analysed 16 patients (10 male, 6 female) with pituitary apoplexy, who presented to our institutions between 1992-2002. The mean age at presentation was 49 years (range 24-72). Only two (12%) patients had previously known pituitary tumours. Pituitary apoplexy was precipitated by major surgery in two patients (coronary artery bypass graft...