Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: In normal men testosterone levels fall with age. We wished to assess the efficacy and safety of Nebido in men over the age of 60 years in order to assess dose frequency and other potential complications.Subjects and methods: Ten men over 60 years of age (range 60–77 median 64) with primary or secondary hypogonadism were treated with Nebido 1000 mg i.m. Each was given a loading dose of two injections 6 weeks apart (our normal protocol for all pa...

Introduction: Long-term repression of the HPA axis is a major side effect of chronic glucocorticoid administration, even after attempted withdrawal of therapy, and complicates management in patients. We have previously shown that the effect of chronic glucocorticoid treatment in vitro is in part mediated by inhibition of expression the POMC transcription factors Neuro D1 and Tpit, and that this is sustained on treatment withdrawal. We have now furth...

Congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia (CLAH) is a severe disorder characterized by early impairment of both adrenal and gonadal steroidogenesis, leading to early adrenal failure and male sex reversal. The most common aetiology of CLAH is mutation of Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) gene.Objective: We report evolution over 20 years of a 46XX patient harbouring a novel StAR gene mutation.Methods: Clinical, hormonal and i...

Background: Tissue hypoxia is a hallmark of rapidly proliferating tumours which most frequently adapt and prosper under low oxygen tension. The transcription factor, HIF-1α, is mediating these effects and induces target genes involved in survival, invasion and resistance to drugs and radiation. No data are available on the functional regulation of HIF-1α in thyroid carcinoma cells.Methods: Using thyroid carcinoma cells derived from papillary (N...

BackgroundAlthough patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are at higher risk of hip fracture, data regarding the effect of DM on rehabilitation outcomes is limited.MethodsA retrospective population-based study was conducted comparing diabetic and non-diabetic elderly patients with a recent hip fracture who were admitted to a geriatric rehabilitation facility during 2014–2019. The Functional Independence Me...

Case history: A 42 year old male teacher presented to the emergency department with an acute right MCA infarct, on a background of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation/flutter and recurrent supraventricular tachycardia. He had chronic palpitations, with previous failed cardiac ablation. He had no other medical history, specifically, no history of ear infections or learning difficulties. There was no known family history of thyroid dysfunction. Previous TSH levels (no FT4 measurement...

An 85-year-old woman attended the endocrine clinic with hypercalcaemia and raised PTH levels. Her background included breast cancer treated with bilateral mastectomy and hormone therapy 3 years previously, with no evidence of disease on imaging 2 years previously. On attendance, her clinical examination was unremarkable, with no palpable neck mass. Biochemical investigations showed: Adj Ca 3.12 mmol/l, PTH 45.0 pmol/l, PO4 0.94 mmol/l, ALP 119U/l, Alb 45g/l, 25-OH Vit D 15.7 n...

Introduction: The current UK guidelines (NICE TA791) recommend the use of romosozumab, a monoclonal sclerostin inhibitor, for patients at high imminent risk of fragility fractures. However, elderly patients with a very high risk of fractures often exhibit frailty and other comorbidities. This retrospective survey was conducted in a major trauma centre in northern England to evaluate the potential utilisation of romosozumab in a real-world setting.<p class=...

Prohormone convertase 1/3 (PC1/3) deficiency is rare, caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in the PCSK1 gene. PCSK1 encodes a serine protease important in cleavage of several proneuropeptides and prohormones. Despite a variety of known endocrine associations, paediatric diabetes mellitus is rare, described only once before. Previous understanding was that biological activity of elevated proinsulin (<5% of the activity of insulin) confers protection from ...

Background: The short Synacthen test (SST) is the most widely used dynamic assessment of adrenal reserve. In some situations, the SST may be difficult to perform. Random basal cortisol levels could provide an alternative screening assessment to rationalize which patients need dynamic testing. This is highly clinically relevant, given the large numbers of patients taking prescribed glucocorticoids who are at risk of iatrogenic adrenal suppression.Methods:...