Endocrine Abstracts

Adrenal lesions are commonly detected incidentally during cross-sectional imaging examinations, and the majority are benign adrenal adenomas. A 52 year old gentleman with a history of hypertension and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation was referred to our service following a fall in which he fractured several ribs. Subsequent abdominal CT revealed an incidental finding of bilateral adrenal masses, reported as approximately 5 cm and 4 cm on the right and left side respectively with...

Background: ‘Glycaemic tracking’ describes the stability of HbA1c over time commonly observed in individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1DM). Preliminary studies have noted the relationship between early metabolic control and long-term outcomes, while recent evidence has been presented for glycaemic tracking in a large number of newly diagnosed individuals with T1DM. The benefits of tight glycaemic control, in terms of reducing microvascular complications and lowering Hb...

Introduction: Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) comprise a heterogeneous group of tumours that constitute a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The most commonly used general NET circulating biomarker is Chromogranin A (CgA). CgA is elevated under other circumstances, notably by the use of Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) and possibly via a gastrin-mediated mechanism. Chromogranin B (CgB) and Cocaine- and Amphetamine-Regulated transcript (CART) are two less commonly used NET biomar...

A 36-year-old male presented to the emergency department with a 24-hour history of mutism, paranoia and 3-day history of social withdrawal. He was unable to engage with healthcare professionals and the history was elicited from his mother. Due to a background of mild depression, an acute psychotic diagnosis was initially pursued. A CT scan on admission revealed a large pituitary lesion. A pituitary MRI scan thereafter demonstrated a large 25 × 30 × 18 mm sellar and s...

There are 1.21 million deaths from road traffic accidents worldwide. In Afghanistan, there have been 2005 battle injuries over 10 years. Advances in military trauma care have improved survival, resulting in more severely injured individuals entering the trauma care pathway. Improved understanding of endocrine-immune changes after severe trauma may facilitate novel interventions to improve outcomes. We prospectively recruited 102 severely injured patients at the Queen Elizabeth...

A 33 year old primip presented to the local ophthalmic hospital at 34+4 weeks’ gestation with two weeks of blurred vision. Examination revealed a bitemporal hemianopia and reduced visual acuity. She was previously fit and well, and a pre-eclampsia screen was negative. An MRI scan demonstrated a haemorrhagic pituitary lesion extending into the suprasellar cistern with mild compression of the optic chiasm. Pituitary function tests showed a raised prolactin 3844 mU/l, isolat...

Background: Metyrapone is widely used in the UK for the control of cortisol excess in Cushing’s syndrome, but its use is not standardised. There are a few reports published on metyrapone use, mostly containing small patient numbers.Method: A retrospective survey was conducted across 13 tertiary centres. Using a standardised proforma, extensive data including monitoring and safety information were collected for patients with Cushing’s syndrome o...