Endocrine Abstracts

The process of learning is an order-dependent process. It can be broken down into functional components: accessing information; assimilating that information as knowledge within a theoretical framework; and then being able to apply that knowledge in an appropriate context. There is nothing new in this. Indeed, the process of learning is part of our very nature. Generations of doctors have learned and taught; learned and taught some more; and learned and taught some more after ...

Preparing and submitting a paper is a lot of work: designing the study; collecting the data; analysing the results; writing the manuscript. Then, depending on your supervisor or co-workers, writing the manuscript again. The last thing anyone wants is rejection. Even when accompanied by positive comments and useful steers on how best to improve things, it can feel as though the peer review process is not fair. Put simply, the world does not understand. While this may be true, i...

In adults severe GH deficiency has been a registered indication for the use of GH replacement since 1996. The UK prescribing policy has focused on a single biological endpoint, quality of life, whilst other European countries have adopted a holistic approach. How did this come about, why does the UK differ from its European neighbours, and is the UK practice satisfactory from an Endocrinologist's perspective ?Declaration of interest: There is no conflict...

Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) is the commonest of the autoimmune disorders. Strong familial clustering supports a hereditary component to the development of disease. However, the pattern of inheritance suggests that many genes with relatively small effect size are contributing to the genetic architecture of both Graves’ disease and autoimmune hypothyroidism. Whilst early candidate gene studies helped to identify some of the major effects conferring risk to AITD, inclu...

Life expectancy has improved for all children and adolescents with cystic fibrosis (CACF); children now survive into adult life. Cystic fibrosis related diabetes (CFRD) is increasing1–3. The combination of CF and diabetes has a negative impact on survival. From 2002 to date, CFRD has been related to decreased survival3 and survival gender differences are also described4. Patients with CFRD have a sixfold increase in morbidity and mortality...

The recent and rapid increase in the prevalence of obesity in most developed and developing countries has correctly focused attention on environmental determinants of that secular trend. However, a fuller understanding of the factors determining any individual person’s adiposity requires appropriate consideration of inheritance. Studies of twins, adoptees and adopted twins provide incontrovertible evidence that heritable factors play a major, perhaps even the major factor...

‘This house believes that androgen replacement therapy, to get things going, should be offered to every hypogonadal woman’.In opposing this motion, I shall review the advantages and disadvantages of androgen replacement therapy and draw attention to the folly of offering treatment to every hypogonadal women....

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the commonest cause of anovulatory infertility, menstrual disturbances and hirsutism. In its classic form the presentation is of amenorrhoea or oligomenorrhoea associated with clinical and/or biochemical evidence of hyperandrogenism. However, it is clear that the spectrum of presenting symptoms of women with polycystic ovaries is wide, including anovulation without hirsutism (androgen levels are usually raised) and hirsutism with regular cyc...

Interpretation of biochemical results may be heavily influenced by fasting status (e.g. triglycerides), sample obtained under basal conditions or pharmacologically stimulated (e.g. growth hormone), time of day (e.g. testosterone level in pubertal boy), age and pubertal status (e.g. IGF-1 level), stage of menstrual cycle (e.g. progesterone level), menopausal status (e.g. gonadotrophin levels), pregnancy (e.g. thyroid function tests), stress associated with sample collection (e....

Phaeochromocytoma and functional paraganglioma are rare in young people. Presentation, diagnosis and management follow principles established in adult endocrinology: clinical suspicion, appropriate investigation, adrenergic blockade and surgical excision where possible. Familial phaeochromocytoma syndromes are over-represented in patients presenting with the problem at a young age. This is an important dimension to the multidisciplinary approach to management, a multi-discipli...