Endocrine Abstracts

IntroductionParathyroidectomy remains the mainstay of treatment for primary hyperparathyroidism. Routine measurements of calcium and PTH mean that primary hyperparathyroidism is being detected and treated at an earlier stage. Consequently the profound hypocalcaemia pathognomonic of hungry bone syndrome, usually commencing within 48 hours of surgery, is now rarely seen in clinical practice.MethodsWe present a ...

Studies have shown that maternal smoking causes intrauterine growth retardation and this may be as a result of endothelial dysfunction. It is possible that the prostaglandins may be involved in this mechanism. The aim of this study was to investigate the functional response of segments of human umbilical artery (HUA) to stable thromboxane (U46619) and prostacyclin (cicaprost) mimetics and measure the release of prostacyclin and thromboxane metabolites.Se...

Contemporary management of macroprolactinomas relies heavily on the use of dopamine agonist (DA) therapy. However, historically a proportion of patients may have undergone surgery and/or pituitary radiotherapy. We aimed to determine the long-term outcome in terms of tumour control and prolactin normalisation in a large cohort of patients with macroprolactinoma who received various treatment modalities. 80 patients (54 male) with macroprolactinoma (tumour diameter >10 mm, p...

The optimum management of patients with craniopharyngiomas is controversial. Evidence relies on a small number of retrospective outcome surveys that encompass time periods that are not necessarily representative of current surgical techniques and imaging modalities. We have reviewed outcome in a more contemporary group of patients managed at a single centre.Case-notes and electronic data were reviewed of all patients treated for craniopharyngioma since 1...

In congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI), mutations have been found in 5 different genes, ABCC8, KCNJ11, GCK, GLUD1 and SCHAD. In approximately 50% of all cases, however, no genetic explanation can be found.A mature newborn girl presented macrosomic, birth weight 4378 g, and a blood glucose down to 1.3 mmol/l at day 1. Hyperinsulinism was documented. The child responded to diazoxide treatment, initially in combination with prednisolone, chlorothiazide and oct...

Leptin and adiponectin are cytokine-like hormones secreted by white adipose tissue. Plasma leptin correlates closely with total body fat mass, and its secretion is positively regulated by insulin in vivo and in vitro. Hypoleptinaemia is a key centrally-mediated orexigenic stimulus. Plasma adiponectin, in contrast, correlates negatively with whole body fat mass and insulin resistance in adults, and its expression is regulated negatively by insulin in vivo a...