Endocrine Abstracts

Patients with thyroid eye disease (TED) often appear distressed. It is probable that several factors contribute to their psychological state, but the predominant components seem to be alterations in visual function and abnormal facial appearance. It is well recognised that people with disfigurement encounter significant difficulties in social interaction. The altered appearance of a patient with TED may lead to a usually negative experience, followed by misinterpretation of th...

Several cases of subacute thyroiditis were noted over the autumn and winter period of 2000-1 in one endocrine referral centre. This study was undertaken to determine if the incidence of subacute thyroiditis was different from the previous year, whether a seasonal clustering had occurred and whether a specific viral pathogen was responsible.A diagnosis of subacute thyroididits was made if the patient had evidence of transient hyperthyroidism or biphasic ...

Radioidine (RI) has been implicated as an adverse factor causing deterioration of Thyroid-Associated Ophthalmopathy (TAO). Oral steroids administered after RI appear to protect patients' eyes, and this practice is now widespread. Two factors may confound the controversy surrounding the effects of RI on TAO. Firstly hypothyroidism, which is common after RI and is independently detrimental to the eyes, and secondly studying patients who are in different phases of the natural his...

High dose intravenous methylprednisolone therapy is used in patients with severe thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) and other inflammatory disorders. Although in the short-term it appears to be safe, the acute metabolic effects of this regimen have not been studied in detail.We studied 15 patients with severe TAO, aged 59 ± 10 (mean ± SD) years. One patient was known to have type 2 diabetes. Each patient received 500 mg of iv methyprednisolone daily on t...

Bilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy is a treatment option for ACTH-dependent Cushing's syndrome after failed pituitary surgery (Cushing's disease) or when the ACTH source cannot be resected or localized (ectopic ACTH syndrome). It has not, to our knowledge, been reported in the treatment of ectopic ACTH secretion in patients with small cell lung cancer.A 47 year old presented with haemoptysis and a right hilar mass, biopsy of which confirmed inoperable ...