Endocrine Abstracts

A high prevalence of rickets in the Gbagyi tribe around Kaduna, Northern Nigeria, has been noted. Multiple affected children born to one wife, but not others, of polygamous men suggests a genetic aetiology.With ethical approval, children with deformities characteristic of rickets (genu varum/valgum, rachitic rosary) were identified, clinical histories obtained and examination points documented included genu valgus/varus distances and other limb deformiti...

The aim of the study was to evaluate factors determining bone mineral density (BMD) and serum concentrations of osteocalcin (OC) and carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) in acromegaly. Material consisted of 121 patients with active acromegaly, aged 23–80 years. In the whole group BMD, assessed by DXA, was: 0.35±0.15 at L2–L4, 0.60±0.11 at femoral neck, 0.05±0.12 at Ward’s triangle and 0.59±0.13 at trocha...

Hypopituitarism is associated with premature vascular mortality. Growth hormone (GH) deficiency, over-replacement with glucocorticoid, cranial irradiation and traditional vascular risk factors are possible contributing factors to the excess mortality.We studied 200 consecutive adult hypopituitary age (mean standard deviation) 51.7 plus/minus 15.3 years, who attended our pituitary clinic between July and December 2002. Hypertension was defined as blood pr...

Short synacthen tests (SST) are used to investigate patients with suspected HPA pathology and a rise of serum total cortisol > 550nmol/L is accepted as demonstrating sufficient cortisol reserve. However, cortisol is 80% bound to cortisol binding globulin (CBG) and therefore abnormal values of CBG can influence serum total cortisol used to interpret dynamic tests of the HPA axis. The free cortisol index (FCI) is a surrogate marker for serum free cortisol and is defined as s...

Background: The mechanism underlying the spontaneous improvement of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) during pregnancy and the subsequent post-partum flare is incompletely understood. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) polymorphisms Bcl1 and 9β are associated with an increased and decreased glucocorticoid sensitivity respectively. We examined the relation between carriership of these functional GR polymorphisms and disease course during pregnancy and post-partum in RA...

Phthalates are man-made chemicals that are used in many different types of products. The main use is as plasticizers, but they can also be added to, for example, cosmetics, drug coatings, and perfumes. One of the most commonly used phthalates is di-butyl phthalate (DBP), which has been detected in both food and drinking water globally. Once ingested, DBP is rapidly metabolized to its main metabolite, mono-butyl phthalate (MBP), which is frequently detected in human plasma and ...

Adrenal lymphangiomatous cysts are rare, often found incidentally, but can also present in association with abdominal/loin pain or hypertension.1 They have occasionally been reported in association with hormone over secretion of either aldosterone, cortisol or catecholamines. We present a case of a 40-year-old serving soldier who was suddenly awoken with severe left sided abdominal and flank pain. Over the course of several months, he was forced to take time off wor...

Background: The European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) published guidelines to standardise intravenous hypertonic saline (HTS) for severe symptomatic hyponatraemia in 2014. Two 150 mL boluses of 3.0% HTS are proposed, one after the other, to achieve an initial sodium rise of 5 mmol/l without waiting for an interval sodium result. ESE guidelines were adopted by our University Hospital in 2017. However, high rates of sodium overcorrection were observed, and the guidelines lacke...

Background: Disrupted thyroid hormone (TH) homeostasis has devastating effects on human neurodevelopment. THs are critical signaling molecules in neurodevelopment, acting on differentiation of neural cells, migration, synaptogenesis and myelination, with deiodinases governing intracellular TH concentrations in a spatiotemporal manner. It is remarkable that fetal neural cells, while being key target cells of TH, exhibit strong activity of the TH inactivating enzyme DIO3. Curren...

Rare causes of severe androgen excess (AE) can present a diagnostic challenge to endocrinologists. Imaging may not identify occult ovarian pathology, and the detection of adrenal nodular disease may be indicative of incidental pathology. GnRH analogues can be used both as a medical treatment and as a diagnostic utility to confirm ovarian source, particularly in women with a preferential elevation of serum testosterone (T). In this case series, we present three cases highlighti...