Endocrine Abstracts

Primary hyperaldosteronism is now recognised as the most frequent underlying cause of hypertension. We recruited 94 patients (age (mean±S.D.) 56±11 years) with hypertension from primary care in order to study the role of corticosteroid hormone action in this cohort. Random, blood pressure (BP), plasma renin activity (PRA) and aldosterone (Aldo) was measured both on and off antihypertensive medication. In addition, a 24 h ambulatory blood pressure (ABP)...

Cranial radiotherapy is widely used in combination with chemotherapy to treat patients with primary brain tumours. Increased survival has lead to the recognition of long term sequelae, including endocrine dysfunction due to radiation-induced hypothalamic–pituitary damage. Here we assessed health-related quality of life and endocrine function in 31 adult long term survivors (median age 45, range 29–65 years; 21M, 10F) of primary brain tumours outside the hypothalamic&...

Androgen excess is a key feature of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Pre-receptor regulation contributes to this with increased activation of testosterone (T) to 5α-dihydrotesterone (DHT) by 5α-reductase type 1 (SRD5A1), as we have shown previously in PCOS (Lancet 1990,335:431; JCE&M 2003,88:2760). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are easily accessible and a useful model for studying pre-receptor regulation in the immune compartment. We have previous...