Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Hydatid disease (Cystic echinococcosis) is a zoonotic parasitic infection with the Echinococcus granulosus tapeworm resulting in cyst(s) within viscera. The predominant site for cyst formation is the live, with primary adrenal cyst accounting for less than 0.5% of presentation. We report a case of primary adrenal hydatid disease.Case report: A 62 year old female presented to the hospital with history of rig...

Introduction: Hydatid cysts disease (HSD) is a parasitic disease caused by echinococcus granulosus. It is common in areas where the parasite is endemic; North Africa, the Middle East, Central and Far Asia, Central America and Australia. Liver (44-77%) and lungs (10-50%) are the preferred locations for HSD. Here we report a rare case of HSD affecting the adrenal gland.Case report: A 62-year-old female complained of right ...

Since the 1990’s, eight survey studies have demonstrated iodine deficiency during pregnancy across the UK and Ireland. Both countries lack an iodine fortification programme, unlike many European countries. Therefore, women must rely on dietary adjustments and supplementation to achieve the iodine intake required in pregnancy. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends an increase from 150 to 250 µg/day during pregnancy. Pregnant women in Belfast were recruited to...

Introduction: The gluten-free diet is a challenge not only for the patient and their treating physician but also for specialists in the agro-food industry. Gluten-free breads, especially those made from corn, are reputed to be of lower quality than wheat bread. In this context, we conducted a study to test gluten-free cornbread enriched with carob (GFCEC) in terms of flavor, acceptability, and glycemic indexMethods: This is a prospective study involving ...

Background: Acromegaly is a rare disorder characterized by excess growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Extended dosing intervals (EDIs) of pharmacological treatments may reduce patient burden and costs compared with standard dosing. This systematic literature review (SLR) investigated treatment of acromegaly at EDIs.Methods: MEDLINE/Embase/the Cochrane Library (2001–June 2021) and key congresses (2018–2021) were searche...

From human epidemiological and related studies, there is strong (indirect) evidence that common male reproductive disorders that manifest at birth (cryptorchidism, hypospadias) or in adulthood (low sperm count, low testosterone, primary hypogonadism) may have a common origin in foetal life due to impaired androgen (testosterone) production or action; the so-called testicular dysgenesis syndrome (TDS) hypothesis. Whilst the foetal origin of cryptorchidism and hypospadias is sel...

Low plasma sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels are present in patients suffering chronic metabolic diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, whether altered SHBG production plays a role in development and progression of this disease is unclear. To investigate SHBG involvement in NAFLD, we studied the effects of overexpressing SHBG in two mouse models, a genetically-induced model, by developing a double transgenic mouse by crossing the human...

Background: 5-Cytosine methylation of DNA is a means of encoding epigenetic information. In the testis, the generation of de novo methylation is conducted by the enzymes DNMT3a and 3b and the co-enzyme DNMT3L. Epigenetic marks made to the DNA of germ cells are important as a potential means of trans-generational carriage of environmental information. In fetal life, germ cell demethylation and remethylation are important physiological events and these overlap with key ...

Objective: The EarLy Surveillance for Autoimmune diabetes (ELSA) study is screening 20,000 children aged 3-13 years for type 1 diabetes through measurement of islet autoantibodies. Screening aims to prevent diabetic ketoacidosis at clinical onset of disease and identifies the population who could benefit from prevention trials. The ELSA-1 study aimed to explore the perspectives of parents and stakeholders on the relative benefits and limitations of screening i...

Background: Children with pre-symptomatic type 1 diabetes (T1D) can be identified through testing for circulating islet autoantibodies (AAb). Identifying children at risk reduces diabetic ketoacidosis at onset and allows participation in trials aiming to delay disease onset. Teplizumab is the first immunomodulatory agent licensed in the US to delay the onset of T1D by 3 years in individuals at risk; a licensing decision is awaited in the UK. The EarLy Surveill...