Endocrine Abstracts

Case History: An 84-year-old women presented to a psychiatric unit with a 5-month history of fluctuating confusion, paranoid behaviour, anxiety, reduced cognition and unsteadiness. There was no history of galactorrhoea, headache or visual field disturbance. Past medical history included hypertension, chronic kidney disease, congestive heart failure, premature menopause and hyperlipidaemia. She had been taking bendroflumethiazide, furosemide, mirtazepine and sulpiride. A CT hea...

Background: Most women with androgen excess have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); however, rarer pathology is considered in a severe phenotype such as ovarian or adrenal androgen-producing tumours. Simultaneous adrenal and ovarian vein sampling is rarely performed to aid the localisation of the androgen excess source. We report four cases that underwent this procedure.Case descriptions: Case 1: A 27-yea...

Introduction: Patients with adrenal insufficiency (AI), continue to face many challenges including: dealing with symptoms and associated disorders; managing medication regimens; prevention and management of complications, and effective engagement and interactions with healthcare providers. In patients with AI, adrenal crisis (AC) continues to lead to unnecessary deaths. We illustrate how University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust used the 4E framework (En...

Rapid diagnosis and treatment of Cushing’s syndrome (CS) is essential for good outcomes. Current standards for appropriate timelines for referral are under review by NHSE. Data are required to substantiate standard setting. Knowledge of current referral pathways/processes are required to explore delays in accessing definitive surgical treatment. An audit of referral processes at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham was undertaken and further expanded to 4 additional tertia...

Introduction: In adults, treatment of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) with daily recombinant human growth hormone (GH) injections has shown to improve many clinical features associated with GHD. Currently, many adults with GHD receive GH indefinitely, even when they fail to report any obvious benefits from this treatment. Additionally, evidence on the impact of discontinuing long-term GH therapy is limited. We conducted a survey of UK endocrine clinicians (doctors and speciali...

Aims: To assess the incidence of Ipilimumab associated hypophysitis and its common presentations.Methods: All patients who developed Ipilimumab induced hypophysitis following treatment for Malignant melanoma at a large tertiary care centre in West Midlands, United Kingdom from 2012 to 2014 were included in the study. Patients with known pituitary disease prior to treatment and/or received other systemic immunotherapy following Ipilimumab treatment were e...

Background: Many young people have inadequate follow up because they lose contact with adult care following transfer from paediatrics. There is a need to adapt communication interventions to help young people to determine and enact their preferred involvement in consultations with health professionals.Objective: To develop interventions to support communication with young people in endocrine care and to assess the feasibility of implementation in routine...

Background: Training is adolescent health and transition is lacking in medical education. Clinicians working in diabetes and endocrinology across paediatric and adult services need to have the skills to work effectively with this age group. Our aim was to identify the current state of training and to ascertain training needs in trainees.Methods: A questionnaire was developed based on existing questionnaires. Using trainee representatives all paediatric a...

Background: Obese young people are likely to suffer significant morbidity in adult life. Successful intervention during adolescence may have far-reaching benefits. Evidence is emerging that patient-responsive clinical services may deliver improved outcomes.Aims: To assess the perceptions of obese young people about weight and weight-management services.Method: Annonymised, postal questionnaire survey of 116 obese young people (9&#1...

Background: Seeing the doctor alone has been associated with a better outcome following transition to adult services.Methods: A simple questionnaire was designed for young people (YP) to enquire about being seen alone in paediatric endocrine clinics.Results: The questionnaire was administered to 72 YP young people (37 male) with long term endocrine conditions. The mean age was 15.5 (2.5). 10% of YP thought they should be offered th...