Endocrine Abstracts

Progressive osseous heteroplasia (POH, MIM 166350) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterised by extensive dermal ossification during childhood, followed by widespread heterotopic ossification of skeletal muscle and deep connective tissue. Recently, genetic basis was found to be common with Albright’s hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO) (Shore et al., 2002): paternally inherited inactivating mutations of the GNAS1 gene were found. GNAS1 is the ge...

The requirement for Sestimibi imaging of the parathyroid glands has increased over recent years, partly due to advances in surgical techniques and the need for accurate pre-operative localisation. We audited sestimibi imaging to ensure efficient and appropriate use of this tool in the face of increasing demand. Over two and a half years 128 scans were identified by Nuclear Medicine. We obtained biochemistry and operative status for these using the hospital patient administrati...

Although amyloid deposition can cause a goitre thyrotoxicosis secondary to amyloidosis is rare. We report a case of fatal systemic amyloidosis presenting as thyrotoxicosis.A 62-year-old previously healthy male presented with heat intolerance, weight loss and tremor. On examination he had moderate sized firm goitre and mild dysthyroid eye disease. Biochemistry confirmed thyrotoxicosis; serum free T4 47 pmol/l (normal 10–25) freeT3 14.4 pmol/l (normal...

Among specific diabetes subtypes secondary to pancreatopathies, hereditary hemochromatosis is an inherited disorder of iron metabolism, resulting to excessive iron overload and tissue damage in various organs. We report here the case of a man with the young-onset form of the disease and we describe his glycaemic status, before and during venesection therapy. A 25-year-old man attended our clinic in Athens, Greece, with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism due to hereditary hemochroma...

We present a case of 55 years old obese man with type 2 diabetes of 13 years duration, seen in diabetes clinic. His HbA1c had been 8–10% for about 7 years despite being on maximum doses of sulphonylurea and metformin.It was decided to start him on 30/70 mixed insulin and Metformin was continued. His HbA1c did not improve despite aggressive insulin titration. His injections became painful as insulin doses increased and resistance was noted on injecti...

Introduction: Low endogenous testosterone levels are related to the metabolic syndrome /MS/ and diabetes type 2 in middle-aged and elderly men, but little is known about interrelations testosterone-insulin in younger hyperinsulinemic men. Recent studies have shown that the night melatonin in males with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism is significantly higher in comparison with the healthy men, while it is significantly reduced in patients with hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. Howe...

35-year old female patient with bilateral pheochromocytoma and operated medullary carcinoma of thyroid gland (MEN II B sy.) is put in the octreotide therapy as she doesn’t accept operation as a therapy because of religious reasons (transfusion of blood) and attacks of artery hypertension couldn’t be control with alfa-adrenergic receptors antagonists.12 MONTH 2004 ADRENALIN-urine 890 nmoldU/l (10.2–65.5); NORADRENALIN-urine >5000...

Background: Animal studies have indicated that maternal androgen levels influence the intrauterine environment and development of the offspring. As human data are missing, we investigated the possible association between maternal androgens and offspring size at birth in humans.Methods: Randomly collected parous Caucasian women (n=147) were followed prospectively through pregnancy. Maternal serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), a...

Objective: Ovarian cryopreservation is an emerging technique that may advance breeding of endangered species and preservation of reproductive capacity in young women cancer patients who will undergo chemo/radiotherapy destruction of ovarian tissue.Materials and methods: A total of twelve mature female rabbits were used in experiment. Rabbits were anesthetized and then subjected to laparotomy. Bilateral oophorectomy was used to save one ovary as fresh con...

By including the synthetic glucocorticoid (GC), dexamethasone, in the maternal drinking water on gestational days 16–19 (0.5 μg/ml) or days 1–7 after birth (1.0 μg/ml), we have recently demonstrated (McArthur et al. J. Neuroendocrinol. 17: 475) that perinatal exposure of rat pups to GCs increased dopaminergic (DA) cell numbers in the adult ventral tegmental area (VTA) at −5.1 to −5.4 mm relative to Bregma (level I). In order to investig...