Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: to establish a human in vitro system for the study of pituitary cells in culture and subsequently to study the influence of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α on the function of the somatotrophic cells inclusive the ability of the cells to produce IL-6 and IL-8.Methods: Pituitary adenomas were obtained from hypophysectomies of patients with acromegaly. The tissue was enzymatically d...

Background: Sleep loss in the early morning has been shown to reduce secretory activity of the pituitary–gonadal axis in men, but the determinants of this effect are unknown.Objective: To assess the effects of sleep restriction on serum concentrations of LH, testosterone , and prolactin (PRL).Methods: Fifteen young, healthy men were examined in a condition of sleep time restriction to 0245–0700 h for two consecutive night...

Introduction: Ectopic lipids are fuel stores in non-adipose tissues (i.e. skeletal muscle (IMCL), liver (IHCL), heart (ICCL)). An aerobic-exercise bout leads to a decrease in IMCL (‘working tissues’), whereas it is not established whether a single but of exercise influences IHCL or ICCL.Increased IMCL and IHCL have been related to impaired insulin action in skeletal muscle and liver. It is hypothesized that fat availability (subcutaneous and vi...

Von-Hippel Lindau syndrome (VHL) is a familial disorder presenting in children with a range of different neoplasia. A paediatric screening protocol was published in 2000 and has now been applied to patients in our centre. Screening for VHL is multi-disciplinary involving clinical, biochemical, and radiological investigations.Methods: Data was collected between 2000 and 2007 in 14 children on compliance with screening and identification of pathological le...

A 39 yr-old female with a past medical history of a non-metastatic ductal breast carcinoma, presented to hospital with a two-week history of vomiting and dizziness. Clinical examination was essentially normal apart from pigmentation of her mastectomy scar, palmar creases and buccal mucosa. Investigations revealed a plasma sodium (Na) 102 mmol/l, potassium 4.9 mmol/l, plasma osmolality 219 mOsm/kg, urine osmolality 173 mOsm/kg and urine Na 36 mmol/kg. She was treated with fluid...

Background: Conventional therapy with oral calcium (Ca) and active vitamin D (vitD) supplementation for chronic hypoparathyroidism (cHP) can induce or aggravate hypercalciuria and may lead to detrimental long-term renal complications. Eneboparatide (AZP-3601) is a novel 36-amino-acid peptide with a short half-life designed to activate the R0 conformation of the PTH 1 receptor which produces a prolonged calcemic response. This phase 2a study examined the effects of e...

Background: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is the most serious acute metabolic complications of diabetes. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of published data on this entity from Egypt. The aim of our work was to determine the clinical characteristics, precipitating causes and mortality rate of patients with diabetic ketoacidosis in National Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology.Methods: Our work is a retrospective study in which we reviewed and analyzed th...

Objectives: The audit was carried out to inform the development of a local protocol for investigation of patients with suspected sporadic phaeochromocytoma.Method: Details of all UCAT tests performed in 2006 for a catchment area of approximately 500 000 were obtained.Questionnaires were used to obtain further information about all the patients referred from primary care and secondary care patients with UCAT > upper limit of nor...

Ovarian function in mammals is regulated by gonadotropins and by sympathetic nervous system. Norepinephrine (NE) is one of the major neurotransmitters present in the fibres innervating the gonad and regulates follicular development and ovarian steroids release. Surgical section of the sympathetic fibres partially decreased the release of NE as compared with non-denervated rats. The remnant release capability supposes the existence of an intraovarian compartment able to incorpo...

This abstract has been withdrawn....