Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Antithyroid drugs include thioimidazoles (carbimazole, methimazole) and propylthiouracil. Carbimazole is most commonly used in the UK. A fixed drug eruption is the drug-induced cutaneous reaction which occurs at the same site after each exposure to that agent. It is uncommon with anti-thyroid medications. Here we report this rare presentation. A 40-year-old Chinese lady who was diagnosed with Graves’ disease was initially treated with carbimazole, and then wit...

Background: Pleuro-pulmonary inflammatory fibrotic syndrome is a rare but recognised complication of dopamine agonist (DA) therapy in Parkinson’s disease. Here, we describe a case of asymptomatic pulmonary fibrosis, presumed secondary to DA therapy, in a patient treated with cabergoline for an invasive macroprolactinoma.Case report: A 47-year-old previously fit man was admitted as an emergency with a 3 days history of headache followed by collapse. ...

Introduction: Thyrotoxicosis resistant to the usual treatment is rare, but potentially fatal. In such situations, the optimal next treatment is unclear. Iopanoic acid (IA) was historically used as an oral contrast agent; it’s capacity to treat thyrotoxicosis has been limited in recent years due to its restricted availability.Methods: Retrospective case note review of patients treated with IA for resistant thyrotoxicosis at our institution over the p...

TRAB antibody is specific for diagnosis of Grave’s disease. We have conducted an audit to on our practice on parameters which TRAB could influence.Method: TRAB (NR 0–1 IU/l) positive patients were identified from biochemistry laboratory form April 2003 to February 2004. Sixty case notes were randomly selected for reviewed. Data were analysed subsequently.Result: 46 cases (77%) were female. Mean age was 42, range 6 to 78 y...

Primary hyperparathyroidism in pregnancy is reported as being rare rare. It can be associated with significant complications. Maternal complications include symptomatic hypercalcaemia, renal calculi, hyperemesis, muscle weakness, and pre-eclampsia. Fetal complications include IUGR, low birth weight, preterm delivery, intrauterine death, neonatal tetany and fits.Patient 1 presented with asthma and was found to have primary hyperparathyroidism, corrected c...

A 44 yr old IT systems analyst, presented in 2003 with a six month history of weight gain, diabetes and hypertension. On examination he was floridly Cushingoid. Investigations showed raised 9AM cortisol (1887 nmol/l) with failure to suppress following low and high dose dexamethasone, together with elevated 24 h urinary free cortisol (3300 nmol) and circulating ACTH (130 ng/l) levels. CT scan demonstrated a complex 11.5×9 cm lesion in the left lobe of liver and biopsy indi...

Introduction: Graves’ disease during pregnancy may cause maternal or neonatal complications, including arrhythmia, thyroid storm, congenital anomalies and neonatal thyroid dysfunction (TD). The optimal timing and frequency of TRAb measurement in pregnant women with a history of TD, and whether fetal monitoring could be limited to those with a strongly positive TRAb, is unclear.Methods: Retrospective case note review of women with elevated TRAb (>1 i...

Respiratory disorders are a major cause of illness and impaired physical function in patients with acromegaly, contributing to 25% of all recorded deaths, with respiratory mortality 3-fold higher than in normal subjects. Sleep apnoea (SA), the phenomenon of recurrent cessation or decrease of airflow to the lungs during sleep, is the commonest reported respiratory complication. Both obstructive (OSA) and central (CSA) sleep apnoeas are known to occur, although the overall preva...