Endocrine Abstracts

IntroductionInsulin-like growth factors-I (IGF-I) and -II (IGF-II) are important in regulation of metabolism and growth. We previously reported in normal weight normoglycaemic individuals that low circulating IGF-II predicts future weight gain. We subsequently investigated whether such relationships persisted in circumstances of abnormal glucose tolerance.MethodIn 224 type 2 diabetes subjects we assessed the ...

IntroductionThe metabolic syndrome is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease and glucose intolerance. We have previously shown that a low IGFBP-1 concentration coupled with a low circulating IGF-I predicts worsening glucose tolerance. In this study we further investigated relationships between the IGF-system and...

A 16-year-old boy was referred to our endocrine unit. He had been diagnosed with constitutional short stature (height <10th centile) aged 11, having not grown well for two years. At that time there were no features to suggest Cushing's syndrome (CS), though he was overweight (BMI 22kg/m2, >90th centile) and bone age was delayed by 2 years. A trial of growth hormone (GH) therapy did not increase growth velocity. By age 15, he was developin...

BACKGROUND: Male steroidal contraceptive regimens achieve azoospermia in 60-90% of Caucasians. The mechanisms underlying this heterogeneity in response are not clear. The aim of this retrospective study was to examine a number of polymorphisms in genes involved in androgen metabolism and action, in azoospermic responders (n=73) and oligozoospermic non-responders (n=44) from previous contraceptive trials. METHODS: Local Ethical Committee approval was obtained. DNA was extracted...

Objective: To construct rat congenic strains to confirm and narrow down a region on rat chromosome 2 previously implicated in blood pressure regulation. To determine expression profiles and identify differentially expressed genes between congenic strain and respective parental strain using microarray technology.Design and Methods: Total RNA was prepared from whole kidney homogenates from 2x parental SHRSPGla and 2x SP.WKYGla2a congenic rats. Expression ...

Objective: To examine if there was an association between blood pressure and two polymorphic markers, M9 (CtoG) and HindIII in the non-recombining region of the Y chromosome.Design and Methods: 204 pedigrees all including hypertensive individuals were collected from the south of Poland after local Ethical committee approval. Phenotypic data including hypertensive status as well as BP, weight and height were collected. We phenotyped and genotyped 155 unr...

OBJECTIVE Measurement of serum testosterone level is an integral part of the assessment of men presenting to endocrine clinics. Little is known about variation of testosterone level by ethnic group. The principal determinant of testosterone bioavailability is sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) which itself is a marker for insulin sensitivity. Our aim was to examine variations in testosterone and SHBG levels across three ethnic groups in relation to ethnic differences in insul...

Ipilimumab (an anti-CTLA-4 antibody) treatment has been associated with Immune Related Adverse Events (iRAEs) of the endocrine system. However the frequency of iRAEs in programmed cell death (PD-1) receptor agent use is incompletely characterised, though initial studies report an incidence of 0.5%. We present a case of Pembrolizumab-induced hypophysitis in a 47 yo. male with melanoma. Presenting in 2007 with an initial diagnosis of melanoma, with lymph node recurrence in 2013....

Background: A polymorphism within the CYP11B2 gene, characterised by a C/T substitution at position 344, the putative binding site for steroidogenic transcription factor1, has been shown to influence aldosterone excretion rate and blood pressure in essential hypertension.Aims: Assess the effect of contrasting genotype for the SF1 site on urinary and plasma steroid production during dietary manipulation of the renin-angiotensin system and assess the press...

Background: Hypertension is common in adults with Turner Syndrome (TS) but less is known about hypertension in children with TS.Aim: To determine the frequency of hypertension in a contemporary paediatric TS cohort and to assess its association with clinical characteristics.Patients and methods: Preliminary analysis of 22 girls with TS attending a designated TS clinic at RHC, Glasgow, with at least 2 blood pressure measurements in ...