Endocrine Abstracts

Studies in vitro have highlighted the potent anti-cancer effects of the active form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D3). However, the in vivo application of 1,25D3 and its synthetic analogs remains problematical due to persistent hypercalcaemic side-effects. Recent studies have shown that it may be possible to overcome this in an autocrine fashion via extra-renal synthesis of 1,25D3. In particular, analysis of prostate and co...

A 40-year-old woman was admitted for investigation of severe fatigue, abdominal pain, anorexia and myalgia over the preceding year. Past medical history included vitiligo, coeliac disease and depression. Initial investigations revealed hyperkalaemia, normocytic anaemia and hypercalcaemia with an inappropriately normal parathyroid hormone level. Low TSH with normal free T4 and T3 (0.02 milliunits per litre, 17.1 picomoles per litre and 6.3 picomoles per litre respectively) were...

Abstract for Society for Endocrinology Conference 2003Category: Clinical case report (Young Endocrinologist)AbstractTitle: A CASE OF HYPERTHYROIDISM PRESENTING AS HAEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCYAuthors: K.M. Evans, D.E. Flanagan; Dept. of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, PL6 8DHA 30 yr old man was referred to the Haematology department with axil...

Introduction: The presence of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) antibodies in euthyroid children poses a potential risk for the development of autoimmune hypothyroidism. Little is known about the ontogeny of this process. This retrospective study aims to estimate the risk of developing hypothyroidism in euthyroid children with raised TPO antibodies and provide a guideline for follow up.Methods: Children 0–16 years with raised TPO antibodies (1996–2005) ...

Background: Stress-related illness is commonly referred to the endocrine clinic, and often becomes a diagnosis of exclusion after extensive investigation. We provide evidence that a positive clinical diagnosis can be made without risk of missing organic illness.Methods: 101 consecutive and unselected referrals for ‘fatigue ?endocrine’ between 1/4/95 and 30/3/99 were identified from an endocrine clinic database (81 female, 20 male; mean age 41...

Endothelial dysfunction contributes to the cardiovascular complications in Diabetes mellitus and hypertension. The effects of hyperthyroidism on the peripheral vasculature are not fully understood. Decreased central arterial stiffness is a feature of thyrotoxicosis and normalises with treatment (1). The purpose of our study was to establish the effect of thyrotoxicosis and its treatment on surrogate humoral markers of endothelial function; Von Willebrand factor (VWF), Soluble ...

Introduction: The telephone endocrine clinic (TEC) was established as an adjunct to the face-to-face endocrine clinic to follow and monitor the progress in a selected group of patients after they were seen in main endocrine clinics. This model of care has been tried successfully in other specialities but not as widespread in endocrinology. We audited the effectiveness of TEC and patient satisfaction. Methods: A retrospective analysis of records of all patients contacted in TEC...

The active form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D3) is a potent antiproliferative/immunomodulatory steroid hormone with many applications outside calcium homeostasis. This is particularly true in the placenta which can generate 1,25D3 locally via the enzyme 1alpha-hydroxylase (CYP27b) in both trophoblast and decidua. We have investigated the potential function of 1,25D3 across gestation using human tissue obtained after l...

Hypercalcaemia is a prevalent complication in malignancies as a consequence of tumor secretion of parathyroid hormone related peptide (PTHrP). This complication is also associated with ovarian dysgerminomas but is much less common than for other tumours. To investigate this further we have studied 10 cases of dysgerminoma, assessing biochemical parameters and analysing mRNA and protein expression in tissue biopsies. Pathological reports show raised serum calcium and 1,25(OH)<s...

Glucocorticoids (GCs) play a fundamental role in the endocrinology of pregnancy but excess GC in utero may lead to IUGR. Protection against fetal exposure to GCs is provided by the enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 (11beta-HSD2) located in the placental trophoblast. By contrast, relatively little is known concerning the function of GC-activating 11beta-HSD1 which is expressed within maternal decidua. We have used human deciduas (n=32 first, n=10 second and n=...