Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Weight loss is a key initial treatment strategy in obese women with polycistic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and improves insulin sensitivity and metabolic risk factors. In some women with PCOS it may reduce hyperandrogenism and restore menstrual function, ovulation and fertility. The aim of this study was to reveal clinical predictors of menstrual response to weight loss in overweight women with PCOS.Design: overweight unovulatory women with PCOS ...

Background: Vitamin-D deficiency and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are common in South Asians (SA). The diagnosis of a vitamin-D deficiency in the setting of a chronic disease depends on a high index of suspicion and adequate investigation. This involves bone profile, occasionally in conjunction with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D. The ability of routine investigations to identify vitamin-D deficient patients have not been widely studied.Aims: To assess the ability o...

Aim: Thyroidectomy is a common surgical procedure done in adults. However, thyroid surgery in children is infrequently undertaken. But due to genetic screening of families with multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndromes, more paediatric thyroidectomies are being performed. It is suggested that general and endocrine specific complications in children after thyroid surgery are higher than in adults. In this study we explored the indications for thyroidectomy and the post opera...

Aim: Thyroid surgery in children is infrequently undertaken, but due to genetic screening of families with multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndromes, more paediatric thyroidectomies are being performed. In this study we explored the indications for thyroidectomy and the post operative course and consequences of surgery carried out in our unit.Methods: Retrospective review of medical case notes of children who had either total or partial thyroidectomie...

Oestrogens have important modulatory effects on the skin and the hair follicle. Although they inhibit hair growth in animal models, their effect on human hair growth is less clear. Therefore, we have investigated the effect of oestrogenic compounds on human hair growth in vitro using a whole follicle assay system.Individual microdissected hair follicles from female temporal/occipital scalp (n=6, age range 49–69 mean age 54.67yrs) were incuba...

A number of tissues have been identified as non-classical targets of oestrogen action. Oestrogen can significantly influence the hair cycle and the human hair follicle provides an accessible tissue to investigate mesenchymal:epithelial interactions in vitro. Recently, oestrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and beta (ERbeta) have been identified in human hair follicle cells. Although human hair follicles vary significantly with body site, non-balding scalp follicles have not been r...

Today prolactin (PRL) has been demonstrated to regulate more then 300 different biological functions, including metabolism during lactation and in subjects with hyperprolactinemia. However, the mechanisms for how PRL regulates the adipose tissue in humans and rodents have remained unclear. We recently reported PRL receptor (PRLR) expression in the adipose tissue of lactating and in PRL-transgenic mice. These results suggest PRLR-mediated effects in adipose tissue. However, to ...

Hypothalamic GnRH neuronal dysfunction is a frequent cause of hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (HH) in women with secondary amenohrroea. However, the entity is poorly characterized in men, possibly due to lack of a sensitive equivalent clinical marker of the condition.A 40-year-old man presented with a 7-year history of progressive lack of energy, loss of libido, decreased sexual function, and loss of morning erections. Puberty had occurred normally and h...

Energy homeostasis is controlled by neural, endocrine and adipocyte factors and CNS plays a key role in this control. We have previously observed that ovariectomized (OVX) rats treated with estradiol have lower body weight gain associated with an increased hypothalamic CRF mRNA expression. We investigated the role of CRF on activation of hypothalamic CART neurons by leptin in estradiol-treated OVX rats. Female Wistar rats (200–250 g) were subjected to both OVX and cannula...

Background: The diagnosis of Cushing’s syndrome is based on clinical suspicion and biochemical confirmation. Most cases are caused by an ACTH secreting pituitary microadenoma. In its severe form and when untreated, Cushing’s syndrome is associated with high mortality. We report a case of untreated Cushing’s syndrome due to pituitary microadenoma 8 years after the earlier manifestations.Observation: A 21-years-old woman was referred for pro...