Endocrine Abstracts

The gp130 receptor (gp130R) cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) can improve metabolic disease, but due to the known pro-inflammatory effects of IL-6 and the antigenic response to the clinically used form of CNTF (AxokineTM), both proteins have limited therapeutic utility. Accordingly, we recently engineered a chimeric gp130R ligand, termed IC7Fc, where one gp130 binding site has been removed from IL-6 and replaced with the leukemia ...

The financial markets represent the largest and most intense competitive forum ever constructed. Here, according to classical economic theory, competition drives optimal allocation of capital to projects with the highest returns, thereby promoting global prosperity. However, financial markets can be volatile, cycling between ‘bull’ and ‘bear’ states, and threatening the stability of the global economy.Bull markets can morph into bubbl...

The financial markets represent the largest and most intense competitive forum ever constructed. Here, according to classical economic theory, competition drives optimal allocation of capital to projects with the highest returns, thereby promoting global prosperity. However, financial markets can be volatile, cycling between ‘bull’ and ‘bear’ states, and threatening the stability of the global economy.Bull markets can morph into bubbl...

Advances in human genetics over the last two decades have discovered genes causal for thousands of monogenic conditions, characterized the mutational landscape of most forms of cancer, and identified tens of thousands of genetic variants influencing common complex traits such as diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Sequence-based diagnostics are now routinely deployed in early-onset genetic disease and in cancers, and the genetic analysis of complex traits has provided many novel an...

During pregnancy there are a number of physiological changes in the regulation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA axis). These changes make the diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency and management of patients with known adrenal insufficiency challenging in pregnancy. The management of patients with known adrenal insufficiency needs to be altered during pregnancy and the management of labour and delivery needs MDT input. This session will review the physiological changes th...

Approximately 1% of the population are on some form of long-term glucocorticoid therapy, either as an immunosuppressant or as replacement therapy for adrenal suppression. In recent years, it has become increasingly evident that many of these patients (even those on inhaled steroids) develop adverse consequences of this therapy with the development of iatrogenic Cushing’s syndrome (and its adverse metabolic profile) and associated tertiary adrenal insufficiency due to hypo...

Diabetes insipidus (DI) is a clinical syndrome characterised by inappropriate hypotonic polyuria. Urine flow rates in excess of 40 mL/kg per 24 h in adults, or more than 100 mL/kg per 24 h in infants are suggestive of diabetes insipidus. Correct diagnosis often requires the use of the water deprivation test. DI may be central or nephrogenic, and results in inappropriate renal water loss. The majority of patients with DI are able to maintain a normal plasma sodium even in the a...

Introduction: We were one of ten paediatric diabetes teams taking part in the pilot RCPCH QI project initiated in Autumn 2017 and the sole representative from the North East of England. The project we chose was to enable and empower children, young people and their families to improve overall diabetes management, long term health and wellbeing through education and knowledge in adjusting insulin to improve blood glucose control.Method: We created a bespo...

Destructive thyroiditis is characterised by hyperthyroidism due to release of pre-formed hormones. The increased concentration of thyroid hormone suppresses serum TSH. Radioactive iodine uptake is close to nil in all cases when hyperthyroidism is present. The duration of hyperthyroidism is generally 2–3 months and limited by the amount of thyroid hormone present. The ratio of serum T3:T4 is lower in destructive thyroiditis than in Graves’ disease. Hypothyroidism is c...

Disorders of salt and water homeostasis are common following traumatic brain injury. Diabetes insipidus is a well-recognized complication of TBI. Polyuria occurs immediately after significant brain injury in up to 22% of cases, nearly always occurring within the first 2–3 days. The great majority of cases resolve spontaneously, and cross-sectional studies of long-term survivors of TBI report low rates of chronic diabetes insipidus. It is likely that in the absence of form...