Endocrine Abstracts

Histiocytosis X is a rare disorder in which proliferating Langerhans cells can infiltrate virtually any site in the body. Bone is the most commonly affected site but endocrine involvement is frequently seen. Diabetes insipidus is the most common abnormality when there is involvement of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis.We report the case of a 42 year old lady who presented with diabetes insipidus in 1997. MR scan of the pituitary showed absence of the post...

Patient information is increasingly well provided, but little is known of patients' actual understanding of their conditions. The aim of this study was to determine the level of knowledge about thyrotoxicosis and its treatment among patients attending the endocrine clinic. Consecutive patients who had received antithyroid drugs were identified from the clinic database and asked to respond to a postal questionnaire. Ethical approval was obtained for the study.Questionnaires...

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 ...

IntroductionWe have previously demonstrated profound effects of hormone replacement treatment (HRT) in post-menopausal women on the IGF-system. HRT is widely used to prevent osteoporosis. The IGF-system has been implicated in bone formation. IGFBP-4 and IGFBP-5 are known to be important in modulation of IGF activity in bone. In this larger study we have examined the effects of HRT on circulating IGFBP-4 levels.MethodOral conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) alone or in...

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...

Introduction: Dysregulation of the insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF) system and particularly IGF-I and IGF binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of obesity, diabetes mellitus and its complications such as cardiovascular disease and nephropathy, but relatively little is known about the genomics of the IGF system in health and disease.Methods: Six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped in the IGFBP-1 gene, in a r...

Introduction: Dysregulation of the Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF) system and particularly IGF-I and IGF-binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1) has been implicated in the aetiopathogenesis of obesity, diabetes mellitus and such complications such as cardiovascular disease and nephropathy. However, relatively little is known about the genomics of the IGF system in health and disease.Methods: Six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped in the IGFBP1...