Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Weight gain is underrecognised in patients with hypothalamic damage and the prevalence and mechanisms are poorly defined. The aim of this study was to define the diagnoses and endocrine characteristics associated with weight gain.Subjects and methods: A retrospective study of 48 patients (25 female) mean (SD) age 45.3yrs (9.8).They included 22 patients with primary hypothalamic lesions (craniopharyngiomas, Rathke's cysts and other tumours)[g...

Objectives: GHR in adults with GHD favourably effects body composition (reduces fat and increases lean body mass) although body weight usually remains unchanged. However the effect of GHR on ingestive behaviour and voluntary physical activity in adults has not been studied.Methods: We studied 10 hypopituitary adults (8 males, 2 females, mean age 49.7 years) with severe GHD (mean peak GH response to glucagon 3.26 mU/l, baseline IGF-1 level 14.5 nmol/L) be...

Background: The availability of genetic testing has major implications for family management in MEN syndromes. In order to offer systematic genetic and endocrine screening for type 1 and type 2 MEN we invited patients with possible MEN syndromes to a dedicated clinic.Outcomes: In the first year 16 subjects (from 12 families) were seen, with a total of 28 previous or current tumours (12 hyperparathyroidism, 10 pituitary and 6 foregut tumours). Eight subje...

The multisystem disorder POEMS (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal gammopathy, and skin changes) is a rare plasma cell dyscrasia. Elevated cytokines may contribute to its pathogenesis. We describe a POEMS patient with elevated plasma cytokines and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS).A 39-year-old white woman with IgA lambda and IgG kappa paraproteinaemia, peripheral axonal sensorimotor neuropathy, moderate anascara, skin thickening a...