Endocrine Abstracts

A 70 yr old man presented with an episode of syncope and complaints of leg weakness. He was hypogonadal with coarse facial features and a marked proximal myopathy. Hypopituitarism was confirmed biochemically: serum FT4 7.7 pmol/l (9.7-25.7), TSH 1.65 mIU/l (0.05-5.00), FSH 1.8 IU/l (1.6-18.0), LH 1.0 IU/l (2.0-18.0), testosterone 1.13 nmol/l (5.70-28.8) and 9am cortisol 122 nmol/l. Treatment with hydrocortisone and thyroxine was commenced. Further investigation revealed elevat...

Relaxin-3 (INSL-7) is a recently discovered member of the insulin superfamily, a group of structurally related hormones whose precursors have a domain arrangement similar to that of pro-insulin. Relaxin-3 mRNA is expressed in the nucleus incertus of the brainstem which has projections to the hypothalamus, an area important in appetite regulation. Relaxin-3 binds with high affinity to the recently discovered previously orphan G-protein-coupled receptor, GPCR135, which is expres...

Parathyroidectomy is the only definitive cure for primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). The standard for pre-operative localisation of parathyroid pathology at our institution is both a (99m)Tc-sestamibi SPECT/CT (sestamibi) and neck ultrasound scan (USS). The aim of this audit was to assess the accuracy of this standard pre-operative imaging.Methods: Retrospective data was gathered from all parathyroidectomies performed at St Thomas’ Hospital between...

We present a 57-year-old female with Cushing’s syndrome characterised by new type 2 diabetes, hypertension, weight gain, bruising, proximal myopathy and depression. She also had poorly-healing cellulitic ulcers on both legs. Investigations: hypokalaemia and ACTH-dependent Cushing’s syndrome. Low dose dexamethasone suppression test: T=0 ACTH 85 ng/l, cortisol 907 nmol/l, T=48 h cortisol 807. High dose dexamethasone suppression test failed to suppr...