Endocrine Abstracts

A previously well 50-year-old female was admitted to the acute medical unit with a 4-month history of fatigue, anorexia, polyuria, polydipsia and arthralgia. She was found to be hypercalcaemic with a corrected calcium of 3.84 mmol/l and, unexpectedly, an extremely elevated parathyroid hormone reported at >200 pmol/l. Other results included an elevated alkaline phosphatase, hypophosphataemia and normal renal function. Treatment with intravenous 0.9% sodium chloride and pami...

Aim: To assess whether adults in Scotland currently receiving growth hormone (GH) meet the NICE criteria for starting and continuing GH replacement.Methods: We surveyed all endocrinologists in Scotland and identified the main centres using GH replacement. A cross-sectional case note review was carried out of all patients commenced on GH.Results: About 208 patients (51% women; 24% professionals, 90% Caucasian) were identified, 69 of...

Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs), occurring at multiple sites including the pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, lung, thymus and pituitary, usually present at an advanced metastatic stage, and are increasing in incidence and prevalence as awareness and diagnostic techniques have improved. Treatments for NETs including surgery, drugs (e.g. somatostatin analogues), chemotherapy, radiotherapy and radionuclide therapy, are often not effective and as such additional therapeutic agents a...