Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Hypertension, obesity and hyperlipidemia are key interlinked features of both metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Numerous studies have suggested that green tea may reduce blood pressure by activating endothelial nitric oxide synthase and reducing total cholesterol by disrupting the production of apo B and synthesis of chylomicrons and thus have cardio-protective effects. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the effects of increasing the consum...

Increased 11β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11βHSD1) activity is implicated in the development of the metabolic syndrome. Identifying natural compounds that influence 11βHSD1 activity could lead to novel methods of treating obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In the present study, we tested the effect of green coffee bean extract (GCBE), rich in chlorogenic acid (CGA), in human volunteers and of CGA in mice on blood pressure (BP), lipid and gluc...

Background: Thyroid hormone replacement is one of the most commonly prescribed and cheapest treatments for a chronic disease. There have been recent changes in community prescribing policies in many areas of the UK that have changed patient access to necessary medications.Aim: To provide a picture of thyroid hormone usage in the UK and to survey patient opinion about current community prescribing policies for levothyroxine.Methods:...

Thyroid function changes with advancing age, however there is little good quality data available that characterises the extent of thyroid disease in the elderly, or the parameters of normal thyroid function in the ‘oldest old’. Reference ranges for serum TSH and free thyroid hormones based on unselected younger adults are currently applied uniformly to older individuals.The Newcastle 85+ study has collected health and lifestyle information from...

Testicular tumours are uncommon causes of precocious puberty (10%). The majority are Leydig cell tumours and require surgical removal plus chemotherapy. We present an 8 years (8.04 years) old male child who presented with rapid onset of pubic hair growth and right testicular swelling. Examination: his height was (143.3 cm, just above 99.6 th centile), weight (32.3 kg, 91st centile). Pubertal staging at A1, P2, G 4. Left testis 2 ml/right 8 ml. Bloods taken showed prepubertal L...

Introduction: Many Muslim patients with diabetes observe dawn to dusk fasting during the month of Ramadan. In an observational prospective study, we have used continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) to investigate the changes in glucose profiles amongst Muslim patients during Ramadan fasting.Methods: CGMS was applied to patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (n=14) attending AlZahra Hospital Sharjah for three consecutive days, before (non-fast...

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is a pleiotropic cytokine well characterised as a mediator of skeletal muscle wasting. However, the role of interlukin-6 (IL-6) in skeletal muscle remains controversial.Objectives: We therefore investigated the potential interactive effects of TNF-α and IL-6 on murine C2 skeletal myoblast survival, differentiation and proliferation.Methods: Real time-PCR, creatine kinase assay, western...

Introduction: Prolonged elevations of proinflammatory cytokines are associated with sarcopenia muscle wasting (ageing) and in cancer cachexia. Increased activation of the IGF/insulin pathway is an attractive target for combating such wasting.Aims: Using rodent skeletal muscle cell lines we have investigated TNF-α/IGF-I interactions, in an attempt to mimic and understand mechanisms underlying skeletal muscle loss.Methods and re...

Deoxycorticosterone (DOC: a weak mineralocorticoid) is the precursor to corticosterone (B: the major glucocorticoid in rodents) and aldosterone. Cyp11b1 encodes 11β-hydroxylase which catalyses the conversion of DOC to B in rodents. The aim of this study is to develop sensitive and specific ELISA methods to estimate urinary DOC and B levels in mice. Antibodies against DOC and B were raised in rabbits by our laboratories as previously described and HRP-Goat anti-Rabbit IgG ...

The majority of immunoassays used to measure aldosterone (most potent mineralocorticoid) levels are still based on radio-iodinated tracer, lack sensitivity and specificity and there is a definite need for their improvement. The aim of this project is to develop a highly sensitive and specific ELISA method for urinary aldosterone estimation in samples obtained from wild type and cyp11b1 knockout mice. Antibodies against aldosterone were raised in sheep as previously described. ...