Endocrine Abstracts

Severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) leads to a reduction in cardiac output and an increase in the central venous pressure, resulting in secondary organ dysfunction. Surgery for severe TR is a high-risk procedure, particularly in the presence of uncontrolled carcinoid syndrome (CS) symptoms. Replacement of leaking tricuspid valves can lead to reduction in tumour markers and improvement in carcinoid symptoms. Transcatheter valve implantation into the vena cava may be an alternat...

Introduction: Neuroendocrine tumours of the gastrointestinal tract often cause carcinoid syndrome and in advance cases carcinoid heart disease. These tumours secrete serotonin, which can bind to heart valves and cause fibrosis and eventually valve incompetence. Most cases involve the tricuspid valve +/− pulmonary valve. Medical management comprises diuretics for fluid overload and somatostatin analogues to reduce circulating serotonin. Definitive treatment is heart-valve...

A 63-year-old Caucasian female was admitted with a 12-month history of exertional breathlessness, anxiety attacks, syncopal episodes, diarrhoea, fatigue, reduced appetite, two stones weight loss, and dry facial and truncal flushing. Investigations revealed raised Urine 5-HIAA of 116 (RR <50 μmol/24 h) and raised Chromogranin A of 48 (RR <6 nmol/l). CT scan revealed an extensive soft tissue mass encasing the upper abdominal aorta, compressing the inferior vena cava...