Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Stiff person syndrome (SPS) is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by fluctuating stiffness and rigidity in both axial and limb muscles. Stiff leg syndrome, an SPS variant mainly affecting limb muscles, is emerging as a distinct identity. The cause of SPS is unknown but an autoimmune pathogenesis is suspected. There are a few reported cases of hypopituitarism presenting with features suggestive of SPS.Case: A 66-year-old woman...

Cytotoxic chemotherapy is a well recognised cause of premature ovarian failure (POF). A proportion of women with biochemical evidence of POF following treatment recover ovarian function with a return of normal menses and fertility, but there are no indicators that allow the identification of this subgroup of patients. In addition, we have previously reported only minor reductions in BMD in a cohort of women with POF following cytotoxic chemotherapy and had postulated that this...

Introduction: Pituitary apoplexy is a rare but life threatening clinical syndrome characterised by acute neuro-ophthalmological features caused by haemorrhage and/or infarction of the pituitary gland. Although many precipitating factors are known, most apoplectic episodes occur spontaneously.Case: A 59-year-old gentleman presented in 2005 with a 12-month history of bitemporal hemianopia. An MR scan revealed a pituitary macroadenoma. When he was reviewed ...

A 49 year old man presented in 1998 with marked visual disturbance. MRI scan revealed a very large pituitary tumour with compression of the anterior optic pathways. Prolactin was markedly elevated at 259,000 milliunits per litre confirming the diagnosis of a giant prolactinoma. A trial of dopamine agonist therapy did not result in any improvement in vision and he proceeded to pituitary surgery. Vision improved and prolactin levels were suppressed by dopamine agonist therapy wi...