Endocrine Abstracts

Background: The 1 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test (ONDST) is recommended for the differential diagnosis of Cushing’s syndrome and the investigation of adrenal incidentalomas. However, diagnostic performance of the test relies on accurate methods to quantitate cortisol in serum. Although the variable performance of serum cortisol immunoassays has been well-documented, little has been published on their performance following the ONDST.Aims...

Background: We previously showed that in first 6 months of the UK Covid-19(C19) pandemic >6.6million HbA1c tests were missed, including 1.4million in people with diabetes(DM). Furthermore, C19 more significantly impacts people with DM / socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals.Aim: To examine variability in recovery rate of HbA1c testing, and links to demographics, including deprivation status.Methods: We examined HbA1c test...

Background: The UK Newborn Screening Programme Centre Clinical Referral Standards and Guidelines for CHT (2013) define TSH cut-offs for screen positive (>20 mU/l) and borderline (>10 and <20 mU/l) results. In Manchester levels >8 and <20 mU/l are classified as borderline. This audit aims to assess whether adopting the national cut-off would result in babies with significant and permanent hypothyroid disease being missed.Patient popula...

Introduction: Worldwide guidance advocates regular HbA1c testing for people with diabetes mellitus, usually 2-4/yr. We previously showed that HbA1c testing frequency is linked to outcome in terms of HbA1c control. Here we examine the effect of variability (standard deviation = SD) in test interval on change in HbA1c over 7 yrs (Jun 2012-Jul 2019) using laboratory data.Methods: We focused on people with HbA1c within the first 2 years who also had a HbA1c ...

Background: The short synacthen test (SST) is the most commonly performed investigation to assess for suspected adrenocortical dysfunction. We investigated how random cortisol levels may relate to pass/fail on the STT.Methods: We analysed the relation between random cortisol measurements taken between 04.40 and 20.52 in the day and results of SST baseline and 30/60 min cortisol performed over a 12 month period (338 SSTs) at Salford Royal Hospital. Serum ...