Endocrine Abstracts

Background Disturbances of calcium metabolism are frequent in patients with untreated hyperthyroidism, however they are typically mild and asymptomatic (1).Methods We describe a case of a 56-year-old female who presented with severe, symptomatic hypercalcaemia and hyperthyroidism secondary to Grave's disease. She initially presented with symptoms of weight loss, generalised malaise and lethargy. Investigations revealed hyperthyroidism and a positive TSH ...

Background: Substantial deposition of iron in the thyroid gland is a frequent autopsy finding in patients with genetic haemochromatosis. Despite this there have been relatively few reports, mainly isolated cases, of significant thyroid dysfunction in such patients. In one large study Edwards et al. (1983) observed primary hypothyroidism in 6.1% of cases, all subjects were male and had elevated titres of antithyroid antibodies.Aim: The aim of this prosp...

Background Tuberculosis of the thyroid gland is an extremely rare disease. Thyroid dysfunction is uncommon in this patient population with the majority of reported cases being clinically and biochemically euthyroid.Case History A 28-year-old man from India and resident in Ireland for previous 2 years presented with a six week history of cough, generalised weakness, night sweats, heat intolerance and 9 kilogram weight loss. On examination a ...

We present two cases where, without measurement of cortisol binding globulin (CBG), interpretation of their 250mcg short synacthen test (SST) would have falsely suggested inadequate pituitary-adrenal reserve.A 62yr old woman was referred with an incidental finding of a pituitary adenoma. Pituitary function tests confirmed gonadotrophin and growth hormone deficiency. Initial and subsequent SSTs were normal (30min cortisol reater than 600nmol/L). Follow up...

Introduction: Xanthoma disseminatum (XD) is a rare, non - familial disease characterised by lipid deposition in skin and internal organs due to histiocytic cell proliferation, classified as a non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis. The disease is characterised by symmetrically distributed, coalescing cutaneous papules, initially red–brown then yellow involving the face, trunk, flexural and intertriginous areas. Involvement of mucous membranes has been reported. The upper and l...

Kisspeptin is the peptide product of the KiSS-1 gene and endogenous agonist for the GPR54 receptor. The kisspeptin/GPR54 system has recently been suggested as a key regulator of the reproductive system. GPR54 deficient mice have abnormal sexual development and low circulating gonadotrophins and in humans, GPR54 mutations have been shown to cause hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. Thus, GPR54 appears to be essential for normal gonadotrophin secretion and the regulation of puberty....