Endocrine Abstracts

ObjectiveTo establish a set of population derived reference ranges for plasma total testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and calculated free testosterone (FT) values especially in older men.BackgroundThe age-related decline in testosterone concentrations in men is gradual and both cross-sectional and longitudinal data have shown that there was a small but significant decline in total and free tes...

Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) is produced by the ovarian granulosa cells in immature follicles from around week 36 of gestation to the menopause. Expression is highest in pre-antral and early antral follicles. AMH has a generally inhibitory effect on early follicle development and possibly on the responsiveness of growing follicles to FSH. Serum AMH is markedly elevated in women with PCOS and increased concentrations have also been reported in the healthy prepubertal daughters ...

Phyto-oestrogens are plant-derived compounds that have oestrogenic and/or anti-oestrogenic activity. They are constituents of many human foodstuffs but exposure is on the increase due to increasing availability of ‘herbal’ type medicines. The current study was initiated following the identification of large concentrations of lignan related phyto-oestrogen metabolites in the urine from a girl under investigation for precocious puberty.A GC-MS pr...

Introduction: AMH is produced by the sertoli cells in the testes and is responsible for the regression of the Mullerian structures in the male fetus. It is also produced by the granulosa cells of the ovaries in females to a lesser degree. Serum AMH measurements may be important for detecting testicular tissue and monitoring ovarian activity. The objective of this study was to establish a cross-sectional reference range for AMH in UK children.Method: Seru...

Background: PPNAD is a rare form of bilateral adrenal hyperplasia associated with Carney complex and PRKAR1A mutation. We report the experience of monitoring disease activity in two patients with PPNAD.Both patients (case 1: a 7.4-year-old boy and case 2: a 6.1-year-old girl) presented with rapid onset of cushingoid symptoms, weight gain and hypertension together with multiple freckles and lentigines.Biochemical analysis on both pa...

Three siblings of Pakistani origin presented shortly after birth with failure to thrive and hyperkalemia and were found to have isolated hyperreninaemic hypoaldosteronism. They were all well controlled on fludrocortisone therapy during childhood and adolescence. When reassessed in adult life off fludrocortisone treatment, hyperreninaemic hypoaldosteronism was confirmed in all subjects, but with significant hyperkalemia in only one case. None of the subjects developed orthostat...

Exaggerated adrenarche (EA) has been linked with low birth weight (LBW) and future development of hyperinsulinaemia and ovarian hyperandrogenism. The Scottish Paediatric Endocrine Group conducted a 3-year prospective study (2004–07) to examine the auxology, insulin status and steroid biochemistry of patients with a clinical diagnosis of EA. Fifty-one patients (43F:8M) were recruited. A 10 ml blood sample (fasted) was taken for biochemical analysis. Pubertal status was ass...