Endocrine Abstracts

Case history: A 28 year old male presented following his first generalised tonic clonic seizure in the context of a headache with mild photophobia, nausea and vomiting. He was haemodynamically stable, euvolaemic and had no focal neurological deficit, but was mildly disoriented. He had reported cannabis and MDMA use 8 days prior to his presentation. The patient was profoundly hyponatraemic with a serum sodium of 108.Investigations: Serum osmolality was 22...

Metyrapone is a potent inhibitor of the conversion of 11-deoxycortisol (11-DOC) to cortisol and is used in the treatment of Cushing's syndrome. This study has assessed the clinical significance of 11-DOC cross-reaction in five serum cortisol assays provided on automated immunoassay analysers. Cross-reaction was determined from the linear regression of increase in measured cortisol against increasing levels of 11-DOC (0, 1590, 4310, 6490, 7040 nmol/L) added to a serum pool. In ...

Cortisol metabolism is modulated by inhibition of 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11 beta HSD1) during GH replacement (Weaver et al, Clin Endocrinol, 1994, 41, 639; Gelding et al, Clin Endocrinol, 1998, 48, 153) and in active acromegaly (Moore et al, J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 1999, 84, 4172). 11 beta HSD1 activity is also influenced by both fat mass and insulin. To determine the relative contribution of GH/IGF-I to alteration in cortisol metabolism we have examined...