Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Despite being benign, craniopharyngiomas are challenging tumours to manage and can cause significant morbidity and mortality in both the paediatric and adult population.Method: Our aim was to analyse epidemiology, patient characteristics and long-term sequalae through a population-based study in Malta. A thorough research was carried out to identify patients who were diagnosed with craniopharyngioma in our local population. Subjects were iden...

A 41 year-old gentleman, known case of type 2 diabetes, presented to the emergency department after a witnessed episode of jaw clenching followed by unresponsiveness. The patient was amnesic to the event. He was noted to have a lateral tongue bite. He also reported a similar episode 8 months previously. Initial blood investigations including a random blood glucose were normal. A sulphonylurea induced hypoglycaemia was excluded. Brain imaging by means of a Computed Tomography (...

A 41 year old female, followed up closely by cardiology in view of grown up congenital heart disease secondary to tricuspid atresia, pulmonary stenosis and atrial septal defect in infacy, and brittle paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) was noted to be progressively lethargic and anorexic. She also developed bilateral lower limb oedema and was admitted for further investigation of decompensated congestive heart failure (CHF). Overt thyrotoxicosis was found on investigation. Sin...

A 52 year-old female, newly diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes during pre-operative assessment for cholecystectomy, was referred to Diabetes clinic. An initial trial of metformin was discontinued in view of intolerable gastrointestinal side effects and the patient was started on low dose gliclazide. The patient’s main concern was her struggle to lose weight despite lifestyle measures, a seemingly common issue faced by patients with diabetes on sulphonylureas. On further exami...

Pituitary apoplexy arises when haemorrhage and/or infarction occurs within a pituitary tumour. In Malta, the estimated standardised incidence rate (SIR) of apoplexy is 0.15/100,000/yr. ACTH secreting pituitary adenomas have a SIR of 0.17/100,000/year.Case Report: A 46 year-old gentleman with a history of poorly controlled diabetes mellitus was referred following the diagnosis of a pituitary adenoma. He had presented with a 1.5 year history of left third ...

Introduction: Immunotherapy has advanced significantly over the past years. Immune-related adverse events (IRAEs) are various and include endocrinological complications such as Ipilimumab-induced hypophysitis (IIH). The incidence of this cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 antibody ranges from 0 to 17%. Patients usually present with symptoms secondary to hormonal insufficiencies.Case report: A 73 year-old lady, known case of metastatic melanoma on immunothe...

Background: The majority of adrenal incidentalomas are benign and patients can be reassured, but a personalized and multidisciplinary approach is required when dealing with these lesions, since they might be linked with various comorbidities. The aim of our study was to carry out an in-depth analysis of the biochemical workup of adrenal incidentalomas and comparing the results with controls. Methods: 252 patients with an incidentally discovered adrenal a...

Aim: A cohort of adrenal incidentalomas which had radiological or histological characteristics in keeping with an adrenal adenoma was analysed in terms of the radiological and functional characteristics.Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of a cohort of adrenal adenomas was carried out. Lesions were followed up for a median of 8.2months (IQR 1.4–34.6). In the majority of patients (69.95%), the diagnosis of a benign adrenal adenoma was...

Aim: Glucocorticoids play a significant role in inflammation and immune system disruption. Our study aimed to analyse different biochemical and blood count indices and serum inflammation-based scores in patients with all different causes of endogenous Cushing’s Syndrome (CS) in a well-defined population.Methods: Clinical records of 35 patients diagnosed with CS between 2008 and 2020 at the only central national health service hospital in Malta, were...

Background: Post-thyroidectomy hypocalcaemia is a common complication with significant short and long term complications. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and predictors of post-thyroidectomy hypocalcaemia (corrected calcium <2.1mmol/l).Method: A total of 183patients who underwent total thyroidectomybetween 2012 and 2015 in a national general hospital were included in this retrospective study. Clinical and biochemical data were ob...