Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Survivors of childhood BMT/TBI have increased cardiovascular morbidity and GH deficiency (GHD). We aimed to investigate the relationship between cardiovascular risk and GHD and GHTx in BMT/TBI survivors.Methods: BMT/TBI survivors (n=36) and non-BMT control subjects (n=19) were sub-divided according to GH status assessed by insulin tolerance test: i) survivors with untreated GHD (N=18,11M), ii) survivors on GHTx (N</i...

Introduction: Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are at risk of vitamin D (VitD) deficiency because of chronic ill health and advice to limit sunlight exposure. Studies have demonstrated associations between VitD deficiency and cardiovascular disease. Some CCS has increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity, but data on VitD status are limited.Aim: To evaluate VitD status in CCS.Method: We compared VitD levels in CCS (n=83 (M=4...

Introduction: Data on the impact of TBI on the HPAA are limited. This study investigates the HPAA in BMT-survivors and non-BMT controls using overnight serum cortisol profiles and midnight/9am ACTH levels.Subjects (N=35): N=14, child (7), adult (7) controls, N=21 child (7), adult (14) BMT-survivors (TBI dose 12.0-14.4Gy). None had had treatment with corticosteroids in the last year.Method: Subjects rested for 3...

Introduction: Growth hormone deficiency (GHD) after cranial irradiation (CRI) is time, dose and fraction dependent. TBI (12–14.4Gy) involves low dose CRI, and skeletal irradiation causing further adverse growth effects. We present baseline data from a prospective study of GH treatment.Subjects N=25: We studied 13 BMT survivors (all had TBI, 3 also had CRI <18Gy), and 12 non-BMT subjects investigated for GHD. Both groups contained y...

Maternal undernutrition influences the development of obesity and diabetes in the adult offspring. Previous work has shown that moderate maternal undernutrition may alter the stress–response of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis; however, it is not clear if this is the mechanism for consequent obesity in offspring.The aim of this study was to analyse epigenetic changes in the POMC and GR genes in the pituitary as markers of HPA ...

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine tumour that shows early metastasis and resistance to chemotherapy. Current biomarkers focus on prognosis and diagnosis but there is a need to find novel biomarkers, which could, for example, identify patients at risk of cerebral metastases.Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), the precursor of ACTH is a well-recognised biomarker of the ectopic ACTH syndrome1, of which SCLC is the most preval...

Glucocorticoids are known to have a role in the programming of appetite regulation but the mechanisms have not been fully delineated. This study examined the effect of maternal undernutrition on glucocorticoid receptor (GR) as a key regulator of the appetite regulating neuropeptides, proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the hypothalamus.Ewes were undernourished (UN, n=4) for 30 days pre- and 60 days post-mating or given normal fe...

Maternal undernutrition influences the development of diseases such as obesity and diabetes in the adult offspring. Programming of key genes involved in hypothalamic appetite regulation such as proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) may affect energy balance in adulthood. These changes may occur by alterations in gene expression or epigenetic changes including histone acetylation and DNA methylation. This study aims to examine the effects of maternal undernutritio...

Aim: There is emerging evidence that survivors of BMT not only suffer long term endocrine sequelae, but also have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The UKCCSG guidelines suggest that BMT survivors should be monitored for cardiac and lung toxicities of previous treatments using cardiac ECHOs and pulmonary function tests (PFTs). We aimed to examine body composition, aerobic fitness, ECHOs and PFTs in adolescent and young adult survivors on GHTx....

Background: There is emerging evidence that BMT survivors not only suffer long term endocrine sequelae, but also have increased risk of cardiovascular disease and T2DM. We examined body composition and cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors in adolescent and young adult survivors.Method: We enrolled 36 BMT survivors (20 male). Seven were pre-pubertal, 9 pubertal, and 20 post-pubertal. We measured body composition by DEXA scan and BMI, and fasted lipid...