Endocrine Abstracts

In adults, the absence of a biological marker equivalent to height in children, means the diagnosis of GHD relies exclusively on biochemical tests. Confirmation of GHD when suspected involves use of GH stimulation tests, serum levels of GH-dependent peptides, and 24 h GH profiles.GH stimulation tests have become the mainstay for diagnosis of adult GHD, which superficially appears to be relatively simple. GHD in the adult is accepted as a peak GH response...

GH deficiency is believed to adversely impair skeletal health. In this study bone mass and architecture was assessed using DXA & pQCT. 30 GHD adults (peak GH to stimulation 0.33 to 2.4 mcg/l), 24 GHI adults (peak GH 1.6 to 6.7 mcg/l), and 30 controls comprised the study population.BMD (areal and volumetric), bone size, and architecture, were not significantly different from those of control subjects in either the GHD or GHI, AO groups. CO GHD adults ...

One study examining the lipid profile of adults with partial GH deficiency (GH insufficiency, GHI) suggested they are dyslipidaemic. We defined GH status using two stimulation tests, the ITT and AST, in to patients with severe GHD (pGH < 3ng/ml, n = 30) or GHI (pGH 3 - 7ng/ml, n = 24). Thirty age and gender matched controls were studied.There were no differences in age between the GHD, GHI, and control subjects (30.9 vs 31.5 vs 34.2 yrs). IGF-I levels...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between APD, treated Cushing's disease and severe hypopituitarism.METHODS: Fifty-seven patients (42 female), in remission after treatment for Cushing's disease, were studied. The cohort comprised 13 patients with, and 44 without APD. APD was defined as a serum prolactin persistently below the detection limit of the assay. Age and gender did not significantly differ between sub-groups.RESULT...

The diagnosis of GHD is based on GH stimulation tests. The test of choice is the ITT and a peak GH response of less than 9mU/L is considered diagnostic of GHD. Peak GH values of less than 20mU/L during an ITT are infrequently observed in healthy adults. In hypopituitary patients a peak GH values to the ITT of 9-20 mU/L likely represents a state of partial GHD, or GH insufficiency (GHI). To investigate if patients with GHI have similar features to GHD adults we assessed body co...

IGF-1 generation tests (IGF-1GT) have been used extensively in children to investigate growth hormone (GH) responsiveness. To help understand differences in the GH/IGF-1 axis in health and disease in adulthood interest has turned to the use of the IGF-1GT in adults. Different designs of IGF-1GT have been used with no clear evidence delineating which is the most sensitive to describe subtle changes in GH responsiveness. In order to design an IGF-1GT we have performed the first ...

Background: In GHD adults short-term studies of GH replacement have been reported to improve several aspects of quality of life, in particular energy levels. Only one study to date has examined whether this beneficial effect on QoL is maintained on long-term replacement of greater than five years. Patients & Methods: In 1992 six-twelve months GH replacement was offered to severely GHD adults as part of a randomised placebo controlled study. At baseline 86 pat...

Without adequate treatment patients with acromegaly die prematurely from cardiovascular disease (CVD); however the contribution of atherosclerosis in this process is controversial. Increased carotid IMT is an early morphological marker of atherosclerosis and predictor of subsequent cardiovascular events. Contradictory data exist regarding IMT in patients with acromegaly.We measured carotid IMT in 79 patients with acromegaly (47 male, mean age 55±14 ...

Childhood survivors of cancer are prone to a number of adverse sequelae related to the therapeutic interventions used. Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) is common after cranial irradiation, and it is unclear to what extent GHD contributes to the abnormalities observed in adult survivors of childhood cancer, and whether GH replacement can reverse these anomalies. We compared 27 GHD survivors of childhood cancer with 27 adult age- and sex-matched controls, and went on to replace G...

Melanocortin receptors (MCS, MC1–MC5) are GPCRs, activated with different affinities by the melanocortin peptides (α-, β-, γ-MSH and ACTH). They are widely distributed throughout the body displaying a multitude of actions however their role in reproductive physiology is unclear. Previously, we have shown a reduction of pituitary hormone content and abnormalities in testes morphology in male MC3 null mice. The aim ...