Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Epidemiological evidence suggests that vitamin D (25(OH)D3) deficiency is an acquired risk factor for tuberculosis (TB). Lack of sunshine during the winter reduces 25(OH)D3 levels markedly, but darker skin pigmentation reduces 25(OH)D3 synthesis in African and Asian populations wherever they live.Aims: To examine 25(OH)D3 deficiency and its associations in TB patients in a regional population.Methods: Serum 25(OH)D3 c...

Oxidative stress is a principle cause of the development of aging and diseases such as inflammation, infection, cancer, and cardiovascular disorders 1–3. Steroids are used as progestational, anabolic, antitumor agents, oral contraceptives and sedatives. Hydroxylated estrogens are important therapeutic agents used in the treatment of breast tumors etc. However, synthesis of these hydroxylated estrogens is difficult to achieve. We have investigated a bacterial tr...

Background: Obesity pandemic continues to grow and currently bariatric surgery is the only interventional method proved to induce significant long-term weight reduction. The number of bariatric surgery has doubled in USA over the past decade. We present a case of adult onset nesidioblastosis, post gastric bypass.Case Summary: A 50 years old female who is 2 years status post Roux-en-Y gastric bypass was admitted to the hospital with a documented hypoglyce...

Introduction: The role of TNF-alpha in muscle wasting diseases if a topic of great interest. However, the role of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in some pathological diseases and in skeletal muscle is controversial. Physical exercise provides protection against several human diseases, e.g. cardiovascular disease, heart failure and claudicatio intermittens. This protection is associated with the muscle specific production of IL-6. In contrast to its protective role during exercise, eleva...

Ginseng, a traditional herbal adaptogen, historically used in the Far East, has gained popularity in the West for its restorative properties.Ginsenosides, the active component of ginseng are known to exert a variety of actions by targeting ‘multireceptor systems’ both extracellular and intracellular. As a result many of its physiological effects remain unclear, particularly in humans. This study aims to investigate whether ginseng can influence...

Introduction: Central Serous Retinopathy (CSR) is a condition characterized by the accumulation of sub-retinal fluid at the posterior pole of the fundus, creating a circumscribed area of serous retinal detachment. It is associated with increased levels of endogenous or exogenous glucocorticoids and has been described in patients with Cushing’s syndrome (CS).Here we report on two cases we recently managed in our unit, with central serous retinopathy ...

Recent studies report that nandrolone, a widely used anabolic steroid by athletes to enhance their performance, is produced endogenously in the humans. However, the detection of nandrolone has mainly been indicated by the measurement of its urinary metabolites (19-norandrosterone and 19-noretiocholanone). The aim of this study was to develop a sensitive and specific ELISA for nandrolone to investigate whether the parent steroid can be detected in the urine of healthy volunteer...

Background: An elevated plasma aldosterone to renin ratio (ARR) is widely accepted as being important for the detection of primary hyperaldosteronism. The ability to measure renin at extremely low concentrations is the most critical factor in determining the diagnostic reliability of the ARR. We carried out this study to establish a reference interval for the ARR as part of an evaluation of a new automated platform for the simultaneous measurement of aldosterone (PAC) and dire...

INTRODUCTION: The main local complications of radioiodine are transient sore thoart and dysphagia and less commonly hoarseness of voice. Laryngeal palsy is extremely rare. We describe a case of right complete laryngeal paralysis complicating a radioiodine therapy for thyrotoxicosis. CASE STUDY: A 73 year old man who suffers from Graves' disease, mild stable Graves' ophthalmopathy and recurrent hyperthyroidism received a second dose of Radioiodine (15 MiliCuries). He presented ...

A 31 year old woman presented to the emergency department after 3 days of diarrhoea and vomiting. She was 18 months post partum and had lost 19 kg in two months. She described sweats, tremor and palpitations which had been attributed to recent emotional stress. There was no history of ingestion of iodinous compounds or family history of thyroid dysfunction. On examination the patient was tremulous, pale, cachexic, and tachycardic. There was a smooth goitre with no retrosternal...