Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Development of multi-steroid profiling allows comprehensive investigation into the different branches of steroid metabolism. Immunoassays only allow analysis of a single steroid per assay and suffer from problems with specificity due to cross reactivity of similar steroids. Liquid-chromatography mass spectrometry has the specificity to analyse multiple steroids in a single experiment and the dynamic range to quantify steroids at high concentrations such as those ob...

Background: Head and neck paragangliomas (HNPGL) are rare, usually benign slow-growing tumours arising from neural crest-derived tissue. Definitive treatment strategies for HNPGL have not been clearly defined.Aims: To provide a comprehensive review of our institutional experience of the clinical features, investigations, management and follow up of this cohort.Methods: Baseline clinical information was taken from a prospectively ma...

Background: Excess testosterone in PCOS is accompanied by increased levels of other ovarian and adrenal androgens and precursors. Recently, 11-oxygenated adrenal androgens have been postulated as major components of the circulating androgen pool in PCOS. Obesity is strictly connected with androgen excess and with the derangement of hormone circadian rhythmicity. To date, it has not been clarified whether hyperandrogenism in PCOS, either complicated by obesity or not, is accomp...

Glucocorticoids (GC) have potent anti-inflammatory effects, acting mainly through the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). However GCs have debilitating side effects and a safer alternative is required. 5α-tetrahydrocorticosterone (5αTHB, a metabolite of the natural rodent glucocorticoid corticosterone) may provide a solution: 5αTHB is anti-inflammatory in vivo, effective topically to suppress irritant dermatitis, but with fewer syst...

Glucocorticoids (GC) have potent anti-inflammatory effects, acting mainly through the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). However GCs have debilitating side effects and a safer alternative is required. 5α-tetrahydrocorticosterone (5αTHB, a metabolite of the natural rodent glucocorticoid corticosterone) may provide a solution: 5αTHB is anti-inflammatory in vivo, effective topically to suppress irritant dermatitis, but with fewer syst...

Case history: An 18 year old male student presented to the dentist with an eight week history of left-sided facial pain and swelling. He was subsequently referred to the maxillofacial team. His only previous medical encounter was for a traumatic right humerus fracture following a roller-skating injury. He took no regular medication. His father died of an unknown malignant process several years previous and family history was otherwise unremarkable. On questioning, the patient ...

Background: Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the commonest cause of secondary hypertension. Reported prevalence is about 30% in hypertensive population. Success of screening for PA in general practice (GP) is unknown. Expected challenges include laboratory access, transport issues and interfering medications.Aims: We aimed to report prevalence of PA in a large primary care cohort, the correlation between GP and in-hospital ARR and to assess if a change in r...

Background: Patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) may often develop other malignancies. This study aimed to identify the frequency at which these second non-NEN malignancies occurred in England.Methods: Data was extracted from the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS) on all patients diagnosed with a NEN at one of eight NEN site groups between 2012-2018: appendix, caecum, colon, lung, pancreas, rectum, small intestine and stom...

Introduction: The incidence of the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (SIAD) post pituitary surgery is estimated at 3-20% with the condition potentially leading to significant morbidity and prolonged admission. Copeptin, a surrogate marker for vasopressin activity, has been shown to be a diagnostic tool in the diagnosis of AVP deficiency (formerly known as diabetes insipidus) post pituitary surgery. There is limited data regarding the utility of copeptin in predicting SIAD...

Background: Diabetes insipidus (DI) is a recognised complication of pituitary surgery, with current diagnosis requiring clinical observation aided by plasma and urine electrolytes and osmolalities. Copeptin, a 39 amino acid glycopeptide secreted in equimolar quantities to ADH, is a stable surrogate marker of ADH release and has potential to facilitate prompt diagnosis of post-operative DI. This assay has been shown to accurately predict which patients are likely to develop DI ...