Endocrine Abstracts

A 32 year-old man was referred with complaints of weight gain, sweating and a rash. Examination revealed a moon face, hypertension, centripetal obesity, a dorsal fat pad, and violaceous abdominal striae. A diagnosis of Cushing's syndrome was suspected.Urine free cortisol was elevated (3674 nmol/24hrs) with an unsuppressed ACTH level (39ng/l). Serum and urine cortisol failed to suppress with low and high dose dexamethasone. Corticotrophin Releasing Factor...

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is hereditary in 25 per cent of cases. This may be in association with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia (MEN) Type 2 (A and B) or as familial MTC (FMTC) alone. The mutations causing hereditary forms of MTC arise in the RET-proto-oncogene.A 40 yr old asymptomatic gentleman presenting with a mass in his neck. Fine needle aspiration of the mass revealed a probable medullary thyroid carcinoma. Total thyroidectomy and neck dissec...

It is common practice to attempt withdrawal of dopamine agonist (DA) therapy in patients with microprolactinomas who have achieved sustained normoprolactinaemia. There is, however little evidence to indicate which patients might attain long-term remission. The aim of this prospective study was to identify clinical factors that might predict such remission.We recruited 40 patients (39 females and 1 male, age 24-60 years) with a diagnosis of microprolactin...

The morphology of individual ovine placentomes is known to be influenced by several factors including; hypoxia (Gardner et.al, 2002, Placenta 23:459-466), heat stress (Bell et.al, 1987, J.Dev.Phys. 9:17-29) and the fetal and maternal nutrition (McCrabb et.al, 1991, B.J.Nutrition 65:157-168). These conditions are associated with elevated fetal plasma cortisol concentrations. However, the direct effects of fetal cortisol on placental morphology remain unknown. Hence, this study ...

The purpose of this work was to investigate the effect of thyrotropin (TSH) on the thyroglobulin and on the polypeptides distribution in primary cultures of human thyroid cells.Thyroid cells isolated from cold nodules (follicular adenoma) were cultured for 5 to 8 days in the presence of 0.05 to 25 mU/ml of TSH (TSH cells) or in the absence of the hormone (control cells). After homogenization of the cells, thyroglobulin radioimmunoassay was performed. The...

Genetic variants of the HLA class II region (DRB1, DQB1 and DQA1) and CTLA-4 contribute to susceptibility to Graves' disease (GD). Whilst disease susceptibility has been mapped to a non-coding 6.1kb 3' region of CTLA-4, the primary aetiological variants within the HLA class II region remain unknown. The aims of this study were (i) determine which of the three HLA class II loci account for the primary association with GD and (ii) examine disea...

The cardiac effects of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH i.e. increased circulating TSH with normal T4) have been documented. While overt hypothyroidism causes increased central arterial stiffness (CAS) and augmentation gradient (AI) 1, there are only limited data in SCH. We have measured CAS, AG and augmentation Index (AI) (AG/Pulse pressure x 100) in patients with SCH before and after L-thyroxine (synthroid) therapy.Peripheral pulse pressure w...

Background Disturbances of calcium metabolism are frequent in patients with untreated hyperthyroidism, however they are typically mild and asymptomatic (1).Methods We describe a case of a 56-year-old female who presented with severe, symptomatic hypercalcaemia and hyperthyroidism secondary to Grave's disease. She initially presented with symptoms of weight loss, generalised malaise and lethargy. Investigations revealed hyperthyroidism and a positive TSH ...

The clinical relevance of macroprolactin and its prevalence among those with 'hyperprolactinaemia' are unclear(1). Macroprolactinaemia has often been described as asymptomatic, benign and not related to pituitary disease(2,3,4). Recent reports, however, suggest that macroprolactinaemia is common among those with 'hyperprolactinaemia', can often be symptomatic and may be occasionally associated with pituitary adenoma(5,6). Pituitary imaging has been recommended in all symptomat...

The clinical relevance of macroprolactin and its prevalence among those with 'hyperprolactinaemia' are unclear(1). Macroprolactinaemia has often been described as asymptomatic, benign and not related to pituitary disease(2,3,4). Recent reports, however, suggest that macroprolactinaemia is common among those with 'hyperprolactinaemia', can often be symptomatic and may be occasionally associated with pituitary adenoma(5,6). Pituitary imaging has been recommended in all symptomat...