Endocrine Abstracts

Objective: Hot flushes and night sweats experienced by 60–70% of postmenopausal women are considered as classical signs of menopause. Estrogens is the gold standard treatment, but in view of its potential risks, various herbal preparations and vitamin supplements have a great appeal to women. Aim of this study was to assess the effect of a nutritional supplement (Menopace®) on the frequency and severity of hot flushes and the quality of life in postmenopausal women i...

Abnormal fetal growth remains a problem in pregnancies, complicated by diabetes and is associated with increased maternal and offspring mortality and morbidity. Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are important regulators of fetal growth. Their effects are controlled by binding proteins (IGFBPs). IGFBP-1 is particularly important in pregnancy. Phosphorylated IGFBP-1 (pIGFBP-1) has a high affinity for IGF-I and inhibits IGF-I actions, whereas de-phosphhorylated IGFBP-1 has a low...

Objectives: To find out the proportion of patients with morbid obesity who may have co-existing eating disorders, using EAT-26 (Eating Attitude Test) Questionnaire.Method: All patients who attended the specialist morbid obesity clinic, between January 2005 and December 2007, at a university hospital were included in the study. EAT -26 questionnaires were given to the patients at the time of their referral. The specialist dietician took responsibility for...

We have previously shown that the orexigenic hormone NPY is secreted by human adipocytes. The orexigenic hormone NPY(1–36) is truncated by the dipeptidyl-inhibitor IV (DPP-IV) to NPY(3–36) as consequence its affinity changes from receptor Y1 to Y4 and 5. The aim was to investigate whether DPP-IV is expressed in adipose tissue (AT) where it could modulate adipose tissue growth through modulation of NPY activity. This is relevant in light of DPP-IV inhibitors utilised ...

Chronic sub-clinical inflammation is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Patients undergoing CABG are at high risk of further cardiovascular events and also demonstrate sub-clinical inflammation. We therefore investigated alterations in the relative balance between pro-inflammatory agents, such as hsCRP versus changes in anti-inflammatory factors (adiponectin) and as such the potential molecular pathways mediating these changes. The ai...

Neonates harbouring germline gain-of-function TSHR mutations (M453T, L629F) have been reported with transient proptosis. This resolves once euthyroidism is achieved. In contrast children expressing TSHR mutations (V597L, I486T) fail to thrive, with weight gain and height between the 0.4th and 2nd centiles. We have previously demonstrated TSHR expression in preadipocytes undergoing adipogenesis. We now investigate the consequences of constitutively active TSHR mutation expressi...

Chronic sub-clinical inflammation is associated with increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease and is particularly observed in patients that have undergone CABG. Resistin, a novel adipocyte derived protein, has been linked with central adiposity, insulin resistance and sub-clinical inflammation and may mediate both systemic and local paracrine pro-inflammatory responses in vivo. As such we investigated serum resistin from CABG patients and examined whether e...

Corticosteroid therapy is associated with potentially serious side effects, but there is no information available regarding glucocorticoid requirements in adult hypopituitary patients with partial adreno-corticotrophin hormone (ACTH) deficiency.10 male adult hypopituitary patients with partial ACTH deficiency, baseline plasma cortisol > 200 nanomole/ litre but a peak stimulated cortisol < 550 nanomole/ litre, were randomised to a cross-over protoco...

A male patient treated with a thiazolidenedione (TZD) PPAR gamma agonist for Type 2 diabetes had a dramatic worsening of his thyroid eye disease (TED), which had been stable and inactive for more then two years. Expansion of the orbital fat seemed to be the underlying cause and we have investigated the effects of a PPAR gamma agonist (and subsequently an antagonist) on the adipogenesis of preadipocytes from 10 different patients, representing several fat depots, including TED ...

Background: Education in diabetes is a fundamental component of self-management. Health care systems that have structured education from diagnosis have demonstrated improving trends in HbA1c. Within Wales, education for Children and Young People (CYP) was delivered informally and this deficiency was highlighted in the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit. While structured education is being delivered in some parts of the UK, there is no overarching programme covering the entire ...