Endocrine Abstracts

After adrenal insufficiency is confirmed by synacthen testing, lifelong steroid replacement is expected. We report a case of apparent reversal of adrenal insufficiency. Case details: a 66-year-old man was referred for oral pigmentation, and a random cortisol level of 184 nmol/l. He reported a 2-year history of tiredness, nocturia, dry mouth and reduced libido. There was no dizziness, salt-craving, or weight loss. He denied taking any form of steroid or over-the-counter drugs. ...

Primary hyperaldosteronism (PHA), accounts for 5–10% of all hypertensive patients and is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. However, making the diagnosis is not always straightforward.A 50-year-old male was admitted with an acute myocardial infarct. He was markedly hypertensive (BP 190/100 mmHg) and hypokalemic. He was commenced on beta-blockers and an Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI). Plasma aldosterone concentratio...

IntroductionPituitary macroadenoma requires extensive endocrine investigations to diagnose any evidence of hormone excess or deficiency. As a part of routine investigation, IGF-1 is frequently used to exclude growth hormone excess. Here we report 3 cases of pituitary macroadenoma, who had a normal pre-operative IGF-1 but post-operatively developed biochemical evidence of growth hormone excess.CasesWe report 3...

Background: In clinical practice there is considerable confusion as to whether pituitary imaging is indicated in patients presenting with a marginally elevated serum prolactin level (<1000 milliunits per litre) and no other discernible cause of hyperprolactinaemia.Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of radiological abnormalities of the pituitary in patients presenting with marginal hyperprolactinaemia (<1000 milliunits...

Introduction:Steroid hormones exert numerous effects through their action on genomic receptors but little is known about the rapid effects mediated via membrane-bound proteins. Analyses in several vertebrate species indicate that three groups (alpha or A, beta or B, and gamma) of membrane progestin receptors (mPR) exist and have distinct tissue distributions.Objective:The aims of this study were to establish ...

The prokineticins (PK1 and PK2, also known as endocrine gland vascular endothelial growth factor [EG-VEGF] and Bv8 respectively), which bind to two closely homologous G-protein coupled receptors, PKR1 and PKR2, have been identified as novel angiogenic factors in endocrine tissue. However, little information is available on their expression and distribution in the uterus. The objectives of this study were to examine the expression and localisation of prokineticins and their rec...

The most appropriate way to manage growth hormone replacement (GH) in the transition to adulthood in children treated with GH for GH deficiency (GHD) is controversial. The GH Research Society suggest that retesting of GH status at final height (FH) is unnecessary in the presence of 'severe organic GHD' and cranial irradiation falls into this etiological category. This recommendation has never been validated.To investigate whether patients diagnosed in ch...

Knockout studies have demonstrated that FSHbeta knockout (FSHbKO) and FSH receptor knockout (FSHRKO) female mice are infertile due to block of follicle development at the pre-antral stage. The ovaries are reduced in size and uteri are atrophic. However, a proportion of FSHRKO and FSHbKO mice develop ovarian and uterine hypertrophy in middle age (Abel et al, 2001). In order to investigate further brain-pituitary-gonadal interrelationships the aim of the present study was to com...

This study examined the action of GH on secretory activity and apoptosis (A) in porcine ovarian granulosa cells, as well as the role of protein kinase A (PKA), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), tyrosine kinase (TK), protein kinase G (PKG) and cyclin-dependent cdc2/p34 kinase in the mediation of its actions. The effects of exogenous pGH, with or without blockers of PKA (KT5720, Rp-cAMPS), MAPK (PD98059), TK (genistein, lavendustin), PKG (Rp-Br-PET-cGMPS, KT5823) and cdc2...

There is evidence from animal studies that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3) is essential for normal reproductive function. Vitamin D deficient rats have reduced fertility, and VDR null mutant mice demonstrate impaired folliculogenesis. We have recently demonstrated that 1,25(OH)2D3 suppressed the production of oestradiol (E2) independently of progesterone (P) in luteinised, but not in non-luteinised human granulosa cells, suggesting that 1,25(OH)<s...