Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Maternal high fat diet (HFD) exposure is thought to perturb offspring metabolism, however the literature on experimental animal studies is inconsistent.Objectives: (i) In experimental studies, appraise data regarding metabolic parameters in offspring of mothers who consumed a HFD, (ii) assess possible predictors for these, and (iii) explore the quality of the evidence base.Methods: Searches were performed in four electr...

Phaeochromocytomas are neuroendocrine tumours arising from adrenal medulla chromaffin cells. They are life threatening due to adrenaline and noradrenaline release and potential for metastatic spread. Understanding of phaeochromocytoma pathogenesis is incomplete with limited ability to predict malignant potential. Additionally, once metastatic, response to conventional therapies is disappointing.Phaeochromocytomas are a common feature of the inherited can...

A 36-year-old, previously healthy, man presented with several weeks’ history of gradually worsening headache. He attended A&E after he was woken by sudden worsening of the headache, associated with vomiting and pre-syncopal symptoms. Investigations revealed severe hyponatraemia - serum Na 109 mmol/L. He was also severely hypocortisolaemic – serum cortisol (random) 16 nmol/L, ACTH 19 ng/L. Cranial imaging revealed a 17 mm suprasellar, complex cystic pituitary lesi...

Introduction: Primary, non-motile, cilia are microtubule-based organelles that protrude from the cell membrane into the extracellular environment of virtually all nucleated mammalian cells. They function as signalling platforms involved in the transduction of extracellular stimuli and have an important role in cell cycle regulation. Disruption of primary cilia structure and therefore function has been identified in a range of cancers including kidney, breast, pancreatic and pr...

Background: Patients taking hydrocortisone replacement for primary or secondary adrenal failure require individual adjustment of their dose. Previous observations in our department suggest that total serum cortisol levels achieved following an afternoon or evening dose of 5 mg hydrocortisone are almost as high as those that result from a 10 mg dose in the early morning; and that the ‘area under the cortisol curve’ (AUC) generated by an evening 5 mg dose is broader th...

Introduction: Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome is a complex multi-organ disorder with significant associated morbidity and mortality. Patients see multiple specialities and have many clinic appointments which can significantly disrupt their lives. In 2012 the St Bartholomew’s VHL multi-disciplinary clinic was set up. It consists of an amalgamated one-stop clinic for patients and their families when all relevant specialities are seen in one sitting. The major aims were to:...

Bromocriptine (BC) and cabergoline (CAB) are ergot-derived dopamine agonists (DAs) used for the treatment of hyperprolactinaemia. Recently, concern has been raised about a possible association between long-term DA use and cardiac valvular abnormalities. These concerns are largely derived from studies in patients with Parkinson’s disease receiving higher doses (typically CAB 3 mg/day vs 0.5–1 mg/week for hyperprolactinaemic patients). Studies in hyperprolactinaemic pa...

Introduction: The investigation and management of large adrenal lesions varies widely. It is appropriate to have a low threshold for surgical removal of large adrenal lesions with the possible exception of stable adrenomyelipomata. 18F-FDG PET is increasingly used as an imaging technique to assess these lesions. We would like to highlight the potential benefits and pitfalls of using 18F-FDG PET as part of the diagnostic pathway.Method: Since 2008, 18F-FD...

Obesity is associated with metabolic and vascular dysfunction. Many models have shown insulin resistance reduces endothelium-dependent vasodilation but this is also seen in obese subjects with normal glucose tolerance. There is also evidence of increased response to vascular injury in obese animals, although the mechanisms underpinning this are not fully understood. This study used a mouse model of diet-induced obesity (DIO) to address the hypothesis that obesity causes metabo...

Although obesity affects men and women, the risks of associated metabolic disturbances (e.g. type 2 diabetes) differ between the sexes. Altered peripheral glucocorticoid metabolism may underpin the metabolic consequences of obesity; however, most research exploring this has focused on male animals. This study used a mouse model to investigate the hypothesis that alterations in glucocorticoid metabolism caused by diet-induced obesity (DIO) will be more profound in males than in...