Endocrine Abstracts

Cabergoline (CB) is a potent, long-acting dopamine agonist licensed for the treatment of hyperprolactinaemia and, although unlicensed, is extensively used to treat acromegaly. There is a dearth of data on the use of CB in the treatment of acromegaly. We have performed a retrospective analysis of CB therapy in 34 [19 male, mean age 46 years (range 14-82)22 macroadenomas] patients with acromegaly treated since 1975. The patients were divided into two groups, those on CB as sole ...

BACKGROUND We examined the relationship between cigarette smoking exposure and serum IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-2, and IGFBP-3 levels in a broad-based population, as both smoking and changes in the IGF/IGFBP system have been implicated as risk factors for common epithelial cancers.METHODS Blood was collected from 442 unselected individuals (M, 232: F, 210) attending the Flexi-Scope colorectal cancer screening trial. All individuals were healthy and aged 55-64...

GH replacement has been offered to children with GH deficiency (GHD) for 40 years; with time, however, and the increasing availability of recombinant derived GH, the threshold cut-off used to define GH status utilising provocative tests has been relaxed, leading to diagnostic dilemmas; this is particularly relevant as the growth velocity of a child, short from almost any cause, can be improved if he/she receives enough GH.The advent of adult GH replacement paradoxically is...

Steve Shalet, Dept of Endocrinology, Christie Hospital, Manchester, UK AbstractAfter completing a BSc in Physiology at London University in 1966, I qualified in medicine at the Royal London Hospital in 1969. Junior hospital medical training posts in London and Bristol were followed by an appointment as Research Fellow in Endocrinology at the Christie Hospital, Manchester in 1974....

Systematic collections of neuroimaging data are rare in brain tumour survivors treated with adult growth hormone replacement therapy (AGHRT). In 1993, our unit implemented a policy of performing baseline brain scans on every brain tumour survivor before starting AGHRT, with repeat neuroimaging at least once after 12 to 18 months treatment. This retrospective study analyses the neuroimaging results for this cohort of 60 patients. Follow-up scans were available in 41 (91%) of th...

Cortisol profiling at 20-min intervals over 24 hours during the fed state and in the last 24 hours of a 33-hr fast were undertaken in 34 ACTH-replete adult cancer survivors irradiated for non-pituitary brain tumours and 33 matched normal controls. Compared with normals, patients had significantly higher (mean ± SEM) minimum (nadir) cortisol concentration (37.8 ± 2.5 vs. 29.7 ± 2.9 nmol/L, p = 0.03), maximum cortisol concentration (547 ± 18 vs. 495 &...

It has been claimed that the use of the TRH test and the nocturnal TSH surge test might uncover the diagnosis of the so-called 'hidden' central hypothyroidism, in a substantial proportion of euthyroid cranially irradiated children. In our study of 37 euthyroid adult cancer survivors and 34 matched normal controls, patients had significantly (P<0.05) higher basal and stimulated TSH levels and a slightly slower TSH decline between 20 and 60 min during the TRH test; none had b...

The GH-IGF-1 axis alters through the menstrual cycle. During the periovulatory period when oestrogen levels have risen serum growth hormone (GH) levels increase 2-fold. IGF-1 levels have been reported as unchanged or modestly increased in the periovulatory period. Similarly exogenous oestrogens also increase GH levels while IGF-1 levels have been reported as reduced, unchanged or increased. Peripheral responsiveness to GH as reflected by the IGF-1 response to an acute bolus of...

A 76yr old lady presented to A&E with 'collapse and fall', 2 days following self-discharge for the same complaint. She had a medical history of type 2 diabetes on Gliclazide 80 mg o.d. and osteoarthritis of the spine.She was noted to be tanned with pigmented palmar creases and had marked postural hypotension. Biochemistry showed serum sodium 124 millimols per litre, potassium 4.6 millimols per litre and cortisol 43 nanmols per litre. A short synacthe...

GH deficiency is believed to adversely impair skeletal health. In this study bone mass and architecture was assessed using DXA & pQCT. 30 GHD adults (peak GH to stimulation 0.33 to 2.4 mcg/l), 24 GHI adults (peak GH 1.6 to 6.7 mcg/l), and 30 controls comprised the study population.BMD (areal and volumetric), bone size, and architecture, were not significantly different from those of control subjects in either the GHD or GHI, AO groups. CO GHD adults ...