Endocrine Abstracts

We describe a case of chronic hypokalaemia secondary to Gitelman's syndrome. A 17 year female presented with a 1 year history of lethargy, muscle cramps and intermittent generalised abdominal pain. She took no regular medications and had no significant past medical history or family history. She was normotensive with a significant hypokalaemic, metabolic alkalosis. Sodium=135mmol/l, potassium=2.7mmol/l, creatinine=75micromol per litre, bicarbonate=36mmol/l. The hypokalaemia pe...

History: A 27-year-old woman with a background of HIV presented to the GUM department with sudden onset of weight gain (approximately five stones over 3 months). She had been started on kaletra (Lopinavir with Ritonavir) for her HIV, about 11 months previously, while she was on fluticasone (seretide) for her asthma. Clinically, she had a cushingoid appearance with extensive purplish striae marks over her abdomen and arms. Her Seretide was stopped and changed to ventolin- due t...

Background: The 250microgram synacthen test may give false negative responses, and will not allow easy discrimination between primary and secondary dysfunction. Furthermore, the use of synacthen is contra-indicated on the data sheet in certain common conditions such as asthma, and may not easily be interpreted in women taking oral oestrogen. Some patients with incipient adrenal failure may have elevated plasma ACTH, whilst passing the synacthen test. We have routinely measured...