Endocrine Abstracts

Objectives: To assess patient satisfaction with the transitional diabetes clinic service. Our transitional diabetes clinics (for 14–19 year olds) are run monthly by a multi disciplinary team comprising of a consultant, nurse and dietician each, from both adult and paediatric diabetes teams.Methods: An electronic tablet with the pre-programmed survey was handed out to 42 young people while they were waiting to be seen in clinic.<p class="abstext"...

Background: 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA), a metabolite of serotonin, is used as a marker for patients with serotonin-secreting neuroendocrine tumours (NET). Currently, the majority of laboratories measure 5-HIAA excretion in 24 h urine samples. Given the practicality and analytic problems of these samples, our laboratory successfully developed a LC–MS/MS method for the analysis of 5-HIAA in serum samples. Further to this, we have now developed a method to measure ...

The biphasic effect of soy isoflavones (genistein and daidzein) on oestrogen receptor (ER)α+ breast cancer cell proliferation is well documented, with concentrations of ≤10 µM promoting proliferation, and growth inhibitory and apoptotic effects seen at concentrations ≥10 µM. However genistein concentrations as low as 1nM may inhibit the proliferation of some ERα-/β+ cells. This is at odds with epidemiological evidence ...

Objective: Amiodarone is an iodine rich, potent antiarrhythmic drug that is highly lipid soluble and total body iodine stores remain increased for up to 9 months. Abnormal thyroid functions, either thyrotoxicosis or hypothyroidism occur in upto 14–18% of patients receiving long-term amiodarone therapy. Hence regular thyroid function tests are required in patients on long-term amiodarone treatment. The BNF clearly states that thyroid function tests should be done at a mini...

Growth hormone (GH) excess is extremely rare in children. It can be associated with endocrine syndromes including MEN1, Carney complex and Mc Cune Albright syndrome. We describe two cases of GH excess and their management. Patient A (15yr M) presented with fibrous dysplasia affecting his cranium and a large café-au-lait spot covering his right scapula. His height was 193cm (2.6 SDS) and BMI 29.6kg/m2(2.3SDS). His IGF1 was 84.1nmol/L (22.5 – 65.9) and GH did not suppr...

Background: The cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes of patients with AI are poor, and may be related to the non-physiological cortisol profile achieved with hydrocortisone treatment. Objectives: To describe salivary adrenal biomarkers, glucose and 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) profiles, carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) and flow mediated dilatation (FMD) in CYP with primary AI, to improve knowledge of the relationship between non-physiolo...

Measuring circulating androgen and gestagen concentrations is essential for the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of pathological conditions caused by abnormal steroidogenesis, such as congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Saliva collection represents a simple and non-invasive technique advantageous for multi sample profiling. We therefore developed a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay for the s...

Introduction: Current clinical practice guidelines recognise that a calculated free testosterone (T) level is the single most-useful, clinically sensitive marker of androgen excess in women, but there is no clear guidance as to the best way to measure free T. Several equations have been proposed to calculate clinically useful estimates of free T including the free androgen index (FAI) and calculated free T (cFT). The FAI is not used in men but it is...

Measuring circulating androgen and gestagen concentrations is essential for the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of pathological conditions caused by abnormal steroidogenesis, such as congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Saliva collection represents a simple and non-invasive technique advantageous for multi sample profiling. We therefore developed a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay for the s...

Introduction: Current clinical practice guidelines recognise that a calculated free testosterone (T) level is the single most-useful, clinically sensitive marker of androgen excess in women, but there is no clear guidance as to the best way to measure free T. Several equations have been proposed to calculate clinically useful estimates of free T including the free androgen index (FAI) and calculated free T (cFT). The FAI is not used in men but it is...