Endocrine Abstracts

Hyponatremia, defined as a serum sodium concentration below 135 mmol/l is acknowledged to be the most common electrolyte disturbance within hospital environment. Hyponatremia, specifically severe hyponatremia, is associated with an increase in morbidity and mortality.Aim: Audit aim was to evaluate the diagnosis, investigation, and management of hyponatremia in our district general hospital. This is a retrospective audit using lab data and clinical notes....

A 57-year-old woman was referred in 2012 following an incidental finding of a pituitary macroadenoma. It measured 17×9 mm and was confined to the sella. There was no clinical or biochemical evidence of pituitary dysfunction. In 2017, she was found to have proximal myopathy, plethoric facies and purple abdominal striae. She was also on medication for hypertension and type 2 diabetes. There was no history of sleep apnoea, fractures or use of exogenous steroids. An MRI showe...

Cabergoline has long been used to treat prolactinomas for symptomatic, radiological and biochemical resolution of pituitary tumours. As clinicians we are well-versed at screening for physical side effects, but are we holistic enough? We present two cases illustrating the damaging social consequences of cabergoline treatment for prolactinomas.Case 1A 49-year-old married father of two presented with a seizure in April 2018. MRI showe...

Background: It is apparent that COVID-19 may cause persistent symptoms beyond 12 weeks (‘long COVID’). However its underlying pathophysiology is unclear. Several symptoms of long COVID draw similarities to that of endocrine diagnoses. We recently observed that adrenal and thyroid function were normal in survivors of COVID-19 at follow-up. Here we assess additional endocrine axes that could plausibly have a role in long COVID to determine their relationship to ongoing...

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is the most prevalent female sexual health complaint worldwide, affecting 1-in-10 women. It is characterised by a persistent lack of desire for sexual activity and sexual fantasies, causing distress or interpersonal difficulties. Treatment options are limited, however, melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) agonists have emerged as a promising therapy for HSDD, through unclear mechanisms. Investigating the pathways involved is crucial for our u...

Background: Kisspeptin is a critical activator of hypothalamic gonadotrophin-releasing hormone neurons, inducing release of downstream reproductive hormones. Intravenous or subcutaneous kisspeptin administration has been shown to have significant potential to treat reproductive disorders. However, intranasal administration could offer a novel non-invasive delivery route, which would be clinically preferable. We therefore sought to determine the effects of intranasal kisspeptin...

Background: Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) is associated with dysfunctional brain activation in regions governing sexual responses, resulting in a deficiency/absence of sexual desire with marked distress. It affects up to 8% of men with detrimental effects on quality of life, interpersonal relationships and fertility, but so far has no licensed treatment options. The reproductive neuropeptide kisspeptin offers a putative therapeutic target owing to its emerging role ...

Introduction: Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is characterized by a persistent deficiency of sexual fantasies and desire for sexual activity, causing marked distress or interpersonal difficulty. It is the most prevalent female sexual health problem worldwide, affecting approximately 1 in 10 women, but has limited treatment options despite its substantial health, social, and economic burden. Melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) agonists have emerged as a promising therapy fo...

Background: Kisspeptin is a critical activator of hypothalamic gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons and has significant potential to treat common reproductive disorders. To date, kisspeptin has solely been administered to humans via the intravenous or subcutaneous routes, however intranasal administration could offer a novel non-invasive delivery route. We therefore sought to determine the effects of intranasal kisspeptin on reproductive hormone release in humans for...

Introduction: Sexual desire is a key component of the sexual response model. Absence or deficiency of sexual desire can lead to marked distress or interpersonal difficulty, termed ‘hypoactive sexual desire disorder’ (HSDD). HSDD is the most common female sexual health complaint worldwide, affecting up to 10% of women. Despite its detrimental impact on psychological well-being and quality of life, treatment options are currently limited. The hormone kisspeptin is a ke...