Endocrine Abstracts

Hypothyroidism is readily dealt with in pregnancy by ensuring optimal thyroxine replacement as early as possible - recent research suggests increasing the thyroxine by two extra days' dosage a week from the time pregnancy is confirmed is worthwhile (Alexander et al 2004).Hyperthyroidism in pregnancy is usually caused by molar pregnancy, gestational thyrotoxicosis (GT) or Graves' disease. GT affects 1-3% of pregnancies and is 3 times more common in Asian ...

Adrenocortical insufficiency is a life-threatening hormonal deficiency which is readily treatable, but which commonly presents with longstanding, vague symptomatology. ACTH deficiency (the most common cause) requires only glucocorticoid replacement while patients with Addison's disease are also deficient in aldosterone and require fludrocortisone replacement.Hydrocortisone is the standard form of glucocorticoid replacement, and directly replaces the miss...

Low birth weight is associated with adult disorders characterised by insulin resistance such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and coronary heart disease. However the mechanism of this established association is still uncertain and controversial. For the past decade research has principally focused on the role of the intra-uterine environment. It has been proposed that under nutrition in utero results in a permanent re-programming of the fetal metabolism. Genetic...

One of the major current challenges in molecular genetics is the identification of genes underlying common, genetically complex diseases. The human genome sequence, and that of several model organisms, is now available and tools are available to measure in a single experiment the expression of every gene in these genomes. These resources offer unprecedented opportunities for disease gene identification. We have combined a classical genome screen approach, which localises disea...

Objectives: To assess bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition in adults with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH).Setting: Endocrine clinics in seventeen centres throughout the UK participating in CaHASE, a Society for Endocrinology project.Study design and subjects: Cross-sectional survey of 203 adults with CAH (65 men, 138 women: median age 33 (range 18–70) years). Hundred and sixty six patients were classified as cl...

Objective: Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) has recently been evaluated as a marker for follicle reserve and as a new marker for ovarian function in women. In the male, it is produced in Sertoli cells (SC) in the testis. We evaluated serum levels of AMH as a marker of SC function and male fertility by comparing normo- and oligozoospermic men.Materials and methods: Serum levels of AMH were determined by enzyme immunoassay in two groups of men with normal...

Camel milk provides a modest portion of the overall global milk share but is an important source of protein in arid regions. Perceived health benefits include anti-diabetic properties attributed to its unique composition. We hypothesise that exogenous insulin present in camel milk mediates a hypoglycaemic effect. In a randomised, double blind crossover study, eleven normoglycaemic individuals were allocated to receive a 300 kcal pre-load of camel milk or cow milk ten minutes p...

Introduction: Cushing’s Syndrome (CS) has been associated with bone mass abnormalities and with an increased risk of osteoporotic fractures.Objective: Evaluate the effect of treatment on the 10-year probability of fracture predicted by FRAX® and on the overall bone profile, in patients with CS.Patients and Methods: We evaluated 36 patients (6 M, 30 F, 12 post-menopausal, mean-age 43.6±13.5), 22 with Cushin...

Familial expansile osteolysis is a rare autosomal dominant disorder of bone, first described in a kindred from Northern Ireland in 1988. There are histological similarities to Paget's disease but the disorder typically presents in the young.Case report: Our patient presented at 15 years of age with sensorineural hearing loss, skeletal pain, gingival hypertrophy and mobile teeth. Neither parent was similarly affected. Radiographs demonstrated tooth root r...

Ghrelin is a novel peptide that acts on the growth hormone segratagogue receptor in the pituitary and hypothalamus. It functions as a third physiological regulator of GH secretion along with GHRH and somatostatin. In addition to the action of ghrelin on the GH axis it appears to have a role in the determination of energy homeostasis. Whilst feeding suppresses ghrelin production and fasting stimulates ghrelin release the underlying mechanisms controlling this process remain unc...