Endocrine Abstracts

A 43 year old man presented following a seizure. Past history included cranial irradiation 18 years ago for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Blood pressure was 100/66 with a postural drop. Examination revealed a bilateral sixth nerve palsy. The only biochemical abnormality on admission was a serum sodium of 117 millimoles per litre. A cranial CT scan was normal.Further investigation included thyroid stimulating hormone of 3.92 milliunits per litre, a free T4 of 4 picomoles ...

Background: Octreotide LAR is used in the treatment of Acromegaly and is effective in reducing growth hormone levels in the majority of patients. With the introduction of the Endocrine Specialist Nurse it has been possible to take their care into the community.Method: A questionnaire was administered for both patients and practice nurses, to enable us to highlight the benefits and identify any problems. It was sent to 27 patients who receive Octreotide LAR and 27 GP Surger...

Wolffian duct (WD) development is believed to be testosterone dependent. However, patients with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS) and a causative mutation in the androgen receptor (AR) still develop WDs. Exceptions to this observation are those patients with severe N-terminal mutations. We investigated the role of the AR in WD development in these patients.AR expression in genital skin fibroblasts (GSF) from eleven patients with CAIS was studied by Western hy...

IntroductionTestosterone replacement for hypogonadism comes in a variety of galenical forms. Side effects include prostatic enlargement and polycythaemia. Furthermore careful scrutiny for prostatic carcinoma is essential. We audited 205 male patients from one clinical centre to assess dose, frequency and complications profile and the effectiveness of biochemical and haematological monitoring. Data of this type in a group of this size has not been previously published.M...

PCOS is a chronic medical condition consisting of PCO on ultrasound in conjunction with menstrual cycle disturbance, insulin resistance, obesity and/or hyperandrogenism manifest as acne, hirsutism and androgenic alopecia. These symptoms can be expected to have a significant impact on quality of life. The aim of this study was to compare the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of women with PCOS with that of women in the general population.HRQoL is generally measured by ...

IntroductionChildren with growth hormone (GH) deficiency and primary/secondary hypoadrenalism are susceptible to hypoglycaemia pre-treatment but little is known about insulin sensitivity and hypoglycaemic susceptibility post-diagnosis.Methods12 children (10.1 plus/minus 4.2y; mean plus/minus 1SD) with pituitary hormone deficiency (5 GHD, 7 GH/cortisol insufficient - GHCD) and 7 (8.2 plus/minus 3.8y) with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) were studied after obtai...

The thyroid hormones, L-thyroxine (T4) and 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3), are essential for skeletal development and regulate bone mineralisation in the adult. T4 is a pro-hormone that is converted to active T3 by the type I and II 5'-iodothyronine deiodinase enzymes (D1 and D2). T4 and T3 are substrates for the type III 5-deiodinase enzyme (D3) which catalyses the irreversible production of inactive metabolites. The deiodinases are expressed widely in T3-target tissues and the...

Sex differentiation is the development of the internal and external genitalia following gonad determination. Genital ridge formation is regulated by WT1, SF1 and LHX9 whereas SRY is a major player in testis determination. Quite how SRY functions as a transcription factor is still unknown twelve years after the (i)SRY(/i) gene was cloned. How testis determination is regulated is incomplete, as the cause of sex reversal is unknown in the majority of patients with XY gonadal dysg...

IGF-1 generation tests (IGF-1GT) have been used extensively in children to investigate growth hormone (GH) responsiveness. To help understand differences in the GH/IGF-1 axis in health and disease in adulthood interest has turned to the use of the IGF-1GT in adults. Different designs of IGF-1GT have been used with no clear evidence delineating which is the most sensitive to describe subtle changes in GH responsiveness. In order to design an IGF-1GT we have performed the first ...

Fetal stress, including inadequate nutrient supply and cessation of fetal growth, are major stimuli to the onset of parturition which acts to promote maturation of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. These adaptations, together with rapid removal of lung liquid fluid and onset of endogenous heat production at birth, ensure oxygen supply is adequate and hypothermia prevented. A critical component of fetal organ maturation in preparation for life after birth is mitochondrial develo...