Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Systemic steroids have an established role in the management of numerous medical conditions across all specialities. Osteoporosis predisposing to osteoporotic fracture is a well known adverse effect of long term steroid treatment, which can affect at an early stage of the treatment. Established steroid induced osteoporosis is associated with significant co-morbidity and is difficult to reverse.Aim: To determine the frequency of osteoporosis...

Hyperandrogenism in PCOS often manifests itself with the cosmetically disfiguring problems of acne, androgenetic alopecia and hirsutism. These conditions cause considerable psychological morbidity in women with PCOS.Specific treatments for these cosmetic problems should be considered in addition to hormonal or other therapy.Topical retinoids are an appropriate first line therapy for most cases of acne particularly when comedones pr...

Background: As thyrotoxicosis is associated with significant morbidity, treatment and ultimately cure is essential. Along with anti-thyroid medication and surgery, the use of radioactive Iodine (I-131) has long been established. However, opinion still varies as to when to use I-131, in which patients and whether to give a fixed or tailored dose. To see if our practice was consistent with published data, we conducted an audit of patients treated with I-131 for benign thyroid di...

Aims and Methods:Obesity treatment is often unsuccessful despite the efforts of seemingly motivated patients. Awareness among the obese, regarding obesity, is important to facilitate weight loss and to prevent weight gain. We assessed the awareness of obese patients with regard to obesity, its complications and treatment options. Consecutive subjects attending outpatient clinics with BMI>/=30and <70years of age were interviewed.<p class="abstex...

Various criteria have been proposed to diagnose and treat gestational diabetes due to uncertainties about the influence of mild degrees of maternal glucose intolerance on pregnancy outcomes. We used receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis to correlate macrosomia (more than or equal to 4000g) with varying thresholds for the 2 hour 75 gm oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results in pregnant women screened at our hospital from 1998-2001.Wom...

Management of Thyrotoxicosis in a Non-compliant Pregnant WomanA 23-year-old woman with Grave's disease presented to thyroid clinic 29 weeks into her first pregnancy having recently moved into the area. She had failed to attend hospital thyroid clinics elsewhere and frequently changed her address.Despite propylthiouracil 300 mg daily she had marked tremor, tachycardia 100 bpm, ophthalmopathy, and a large smooth goitre. TSH <0.0...

An adrenal incidentaloma is a mass in the adrenal gland that is found on imaging that has been performed for reasons other than imaging the adrenal. With the increased use of axial imaging increasing numbers of lesions are found that require assessment. Adrenal incidentaloma are found in 4.5% of abdominal and thoracic CT scans. The incidence increases with age, being found in <1% of scans in those aged <20 y but in around 10% at 70 y. These adrenal masses are encounter...

The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of Incidental Thyroid Nodules (ITN’s) on Computed Tomography (CT) scans of the chest, assess variation in reporting by radiologists and to apply recent guidance to assess which nodules may require further investigation. We performed a retrospective review of 742 CT scans which included the chest performed in a regional hospital. Thyroid abnormalities were reported in 9.8% (n=76) of CT scans. There was consi...

The growth hormone receptor antagonist was discovered via expression of mutated GH genes in transgenic mice. Although we were attempting to generate potent GH analogs, our mouse studies indicated that the compound was ‘inhibiting’ GH action. We subsequently showed that it was a GH receptor antagonist, the first of its type. Many hurdles needed to be ‘jumped’ in the development of this compound into a drug including protection of intellectual property; fundi...

Background: National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines for the use of Growth Hormone (GH) replacement in adults with GH deficiency (GHD) were published in 2003, and subsequently ratified for use in Scotland.Aim: To identify all adults in Scotland currently receiving GH and to assess whether they meet the NICE criteria for starting and continuing GH replacement.Methods: All endocrinologists in Scotland were surveye...