Endocrine Abstracts

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with a two-fold increase in risk of cardiovascular disease and a five-fold increase in risk for diabetes.The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of MS in patients with Type 1 diabetes using the latest IDF criteria and evaluate any correlation between MS and daily insulin dosage.Seventy-five patients (44 males, 31 females; mean age 43 years; age range 19–73 years) with type 1 d...

Exposure to stressful events during development is known to have significant effects on a range of phenotypic traits in later life. Several mammalian studies have linked early post-natal stress to later changes in the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis, underlying the physiological response to stress. However, the physiological link (lactational hormonal transfer) between mother and offspring during post-natal development limits our ability to determine the direct effec...

Recent data suggests that oestrogen(E)-responsive somatostatin neurones are involved in the generation of the ovine GnRH surge. Specifically, somatostatin neurones in the hypothalamus are activated (as assessed by nuclear fos) and mRNA levels are elevated in the early stages of the surge induction process. In addition, somatostatin fibres have been visualised in close apposition to hypothalamic GnRH neurones, which may indicate direct neural connection between GnRH and somatos...

ObjectiveTo investigate whether salivary cortisol could provide an alternative to serum cortisol for hypocortisolaemic patients undergoing hydrocortisone day curves.MethodCorrelational study of 58 patients receiving corticosteroid replacement therapy for primary (9) or secondary (49) hypocortisolaemia. Paired samples of saliva and serum were taken at pre-determined time points throughout a 7½ hour hydroc...

A 61-year-old was diagnosed with CLL in 1986 but received no active treatment until 2006, when the WCC became elevated and bone marrow biopsy showed a dense B cell infiltrate. Despite initial treatment with chemotherapy there was disease progression, hence started on Alemtuzumab (Campath) on 24/5/2010. This was stopped on 18/6/2010 because of recurrent neutropenic sepsis. He was readmitted on 18/7/2010 because of left eye cellulitis and hyponatremic with serum sodium of 122 mm...

Classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) usually presents at birth with ambiguous genitalia or adrenal failure. Non-classical forms can present later with precocious puberty or may only present, in early adult life, with hyperandrogenism and amenorrhoea.An 86 year old lady presented with a toxic confusional state, male pattern balding and hirsuitism. Little history was available. The provisional diagnosis was an androgen secreting tumour, however, a history taken fro...

The cortisol day curve has been advocated in the assessment of glucocorticoid replacement therapy in adrenal failure but remains controversial.Objective: To determine the validity of this test within our practice.Method: A retrospective analysis using endocrine laboratory dataset.Results: 102 inpatient cortisol day curves from 76 patients were analysed. The serum cortisol was checked at 5 time points (pre and 1 hour post morning dose, before midday dose, pre and po...

Summary: Physiological replacement of glucocorticoids in hypocortisolemic patients remains a challenge. We assessed the use of salivary cortisol and total serum cortisol profile with CBG measurement in monitoring glucocorticoid replacement in hypoadrenal patients in routine clinical practice.Methods: Serum and salivary cortisol concentrations were measured in 60 hypoadrenal patients previously documented to have cortisol deficiency on provocative testing...