Endocrine Abstracts

Background/aims: Caregivers play a crucial role in self-management of long-term conditions. The aim of this literature review was to explore the impact that Type 2 diabetes has on the caregivers’ quality of life (QoL) and its significance in integrated healthcare.Methods: A search was undertaken in CINAHL, MEDLINE, BNI and ASSIA using combinations of the following keywords limited to adults, humans and published in English in the last 10 years: 1: c...

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) of thyroid can be confidently enlisted as a primary diagnostic tool in evaluating thyroid nodules to spot cancer, although this confidence should be tempered with awareness of possible diagnostic pitfalls. The sources of pitfalls (toward false positive or false negative results) may lie in sampling, in microscopic interpretation, or even in the clinical evaluation. Nonthyroidal lesions (parathyroid, lymph nodes, and salivary glands) aspirated &#145...

Case Presentation A 27 year old male presented with shortness of breath and sweating and on examination had signs of heart failure. An echocardiogram showed global akinesia and an ejection fraction of 15%. He was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy secondary to viral infection and commenced on medical treatment. During a routine cardiology clinic visit he became hypotensive with a systolic BP of 60 mmhg and diaphoretic, his ECG showed sinus rhythm. He was admitted for invest...

ObjectiveThis was a systematic review with meta-analysis aiming to identify if patients with Klinefelter syndrome (KS) had a reduced full scale intelligent quotient (IQ) when compared to controls. Reduced IQ is shown to have a negative multifaceted effect on individuals’ Quality of Life (QoL), having been shown as a predictor of future success, increased criminal behaviour, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), lower academic achievements and i...

Background: Basal tumor markers are valuable in preoperative evaluation of medullary thyroid carcinoma (Calcitonin and CEA), but are insensitive and nonspecific for papilary thyroid cancer (thyroglobulin). Even if their utility is questionable or not recomended in the evaluation of thyroid nodules, in some cases refered to endocrinology department they are available and can be misleading. We present two cases of thyroid nodules with very high preoperative tumor markers.<p ...

The vast majority of thyroid cancers are solid. Predominantly cystic tumors occur in <3% cases. Guidelines report as US characteristics consistently associated with a higher risk of malignancy eccentric position of the solid component, acute angle interface and microcalcifications and as less robustly associated lobulated margins and increased vascularity of the solid portion. We reviewed the US characteristics of predominantly cystic papillary carcinomas confirmed on hist...

BackgroundFalse positive results are common in the screening of pheochromocytoma. Even in high risk patients with disorders related to multiple endocrine neoplasia it’s crucial to exclude possible interferences with analytical methods.Clinical caseA 69 year-old man was submitted to total thyroidectomy, due to a 11 mm hypoechogenic nodule suspicious of papillary carcinoma (FNA). Histology confirmed medull...

Introduction: Pharmacologically induced false positive results in urinary free cortisol levels (UFCL) have been ascribed to 11βHSD-2 inhibition or direct interference on HPLC. Few drugs have been implicated by mechanisms not yet confirmed.Case Reports: We report 3 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and very high UFCL, 2-6× above the upper limit of reference [mean levels 3411 μg/24 h (RR 167-827)]. The 2 males and the woman ag...

Case History: 37 years old female, presented to Emergency department with worsening SOB over last 24 hours. On systemic enquiry, patient complained of epigastric pain after eating and admitted to un-intentional 22 Kg weight loss in last four months. She clinically appeared dehydrated, with mild epigastric tenderness and no other abnormal signs. She denied any alcohol ingestion or illicit drug use. She had treated Vitamin B12 deficiency and idi...

Case History: 37 years old female, presented to Emergency department with worsening SOB over last 24 hours. On systemic enquiry, patient complained of epigastric pain after eating and admitted to un-intentional 22 Kg weight loss in last four months. She clinically appeared dehydrated, with mild epigastric tenderness and no other abnormal signs. She denied any alcohol ingestion or illicit drug use. She had treated Vitamin B12 deficiency and idi...