Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Despite high rates of recurrence after anti-thyroid drug (ATD) withdrawal, ATD (mainly Carbmazole) remain the first line of treatment for Graves’ disease (GD) in the UK. Limited retrospective observational studies have shown that a low TSH post ATD withdrawal had a positive predictive value of 70% and a negative predictive value of 62% (specificity 85%) for relapse of Graves’ disease.Aim: We wished to determine the relationship be...

Abstract: The most commonly used techniques to measure vitamin D are automated immunoassays, which are known to be affected by interferences, especially from immunoglobulins present in the patient’s serum. We present a case of a patient with IgA myeloma in whom interference with the vitamin D assay was identified. An 76-year-old male, known to have: ischemic heart disease, atrial fibrillation, COPD, type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and hypertension was referred to the Endocrinolo...

It is estimated that one episode of severe hypokalaemia will occur each week, in a hospital serving a population of 150 000. Proper management of hypokalaemia is important as severe forms may cause fatal cardiac dysrhythmias. However, recognition of hypokalaemia may be difficult as it is mild in the majority and also asymptomatic. We present a patient who was had asymptomatic hypokalaemia, with an identical twin with a similar problem.A 45-year-old previ...

Introduction: The commonest metastases to the thyroid are from renal cell carcinomas (RCC) and 23–48% of all thyroid metastases are RCCs. They may occur many years after RCC excision, the longest reported latent period being 20 years. Sunitinib (SUN), a multiple targeted anti-cancer drug, is increasingly used for RCC therapy but may cause thyroid dysfunction in some – usually hypothyroidism. We report a patient who presented with thyroid metastases 21 years after RCC...

Introduction: Following treatment of Graves’ disease (GD), levels of thyrotropin receptor autoantibodies (TRAb) tend to decrease depending on treatment modality and length of follow up. We have assessed TRAb biological activity at follow up, years after GD treatment.Subjects and methods: TRAb concentration and biological activity were measured in 69 GD patients (59 females; 10 males; median age 59 years; TRAb positive at diagnosis), with follow up r...

Introduction: Following treatment of Graves’ disease (GD), levels of thyrotropin receptor autoantibodies (TRAb) tend to decrease depending on treatment modality and length of follow up. We have assessed TRAb biological activity at follow up, years after GD treatment.Subjects and methods: TRAb concentration and biological activity were measured in 69 GD patients (59 females; 10 males; median age 59 years; TRAb positive at diagnosis), with follow up r...