Endocrine Abstracts

Low endogenous testosterone levels in men have been associated with a more adverse cardiovascular disease risk factor profile including lower HDL-cholesterol and higher blood glucose levels, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. However, it is uncertain whether low testosterone levels may precede disease onset, or are a result of preexisting disease. Prospective studies may help clarify this relationship.The EPIC Norfolk study reported that in 11...

Background: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune thyroid disorder. Being a chronic inflammatory process, thyroidits has been recognised as a risk factor for thyroid lymphoma. We present a case of a female with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, who suffered an out of hospital cardiac arrest and later on died in hospital.Case report: A 30-year-old lady with a background history of Down’s syndrome was referred to endocrinology clinic in 2003 with ...

Despite considerable progress, the pathogenesis of pituitary tumours is largely unknown. Aberrant expression of oncogenes or tumour suppressors is thought to play a role in pituitary tumour initiation. The originating tumour cells may express abnormal patterns of growth factor receptors and may release excessive amounts of growth factors or angiogenic factors, which contribute in auto-/paracrine manner to the different speed and degree of progression of pituitary tumours. Here...

Ken K Y Ho, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia AbstractKen Ho is a professor of Medicine at the University of New South Wales and is the Head, Pituitary Research Unit, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Chairman, Department of Endocrinology, St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney.He graduated in medicine at the University of Sydney in 1975, undertook research studies towards a Doctora...

Adrenal rest tumours are well described in 21-hydroxylase deficiency but less frequently in 11-β hydroxylase (11-β OH) deficiency. We report a case with an established diagnosis of 11-β OH deficiency with non-compliance to steroid treatment and endocrine follow-up.He presented to Urology with haemospermia.He was found to have scrotal swellings. Ultrasound confirmed bilateral testicular tumours.CAT scan showed small para-aortic lymph nodes ...

The occurrence of thyroid diseases is determined by interplay between genetic and environmental factors. The major environmental factor that determines goiter prevalence is iodine status.Thyroid nodules are present in up to 30% of the Georgian population. The causative role of iodine deficiency which is still endemic in this country has long been established.Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) of the thyroid gland is the cost-effe...

Bisphosphonates are powerful inhibitors of bone resorption and have become blockbuster drugs in the treatment of metabolic bone diseases. Enormous progress has been made over the last few years in understanding exactly how bisphosphonate drugs act at the molecular level. After targeting bone and selective internalisation by osteoclasts, nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates potently inhibit FPP synthase. Inhibition of this enzyme disrupts the flux through the mevalonate pathway,...

Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is an autosomal dominant disease due to deficient Porphobilinogen (PBG) deaminase activity. Hyponatremia, found in approximately 20% of symptomatic AIP, is often due to inappropriate ADH secretion (SIADH). An association between AIP and hyperthyroidism is not clearly established. We describe a patient with AIP and SIADH who presented with Graves’ hyperthyroidism. A 35-year-old lady was admitted with lower abdominal pain. Physical examina...

Cortisol profiling at 20-min intervals over 24 hours during the fed state and in the last 24 hours of a 33-hr fast were undertaken in 34 ACTH-replete adult cancer survivors irradiated for non-pituitary brain tumours and 33 matched normal controls. Compared with normals, patients had significantly higher (mean ± SEM) minimum (nadir) cortisol concentration (37.8 ± 2.5 vs. 29.7 ± 2.9 nmol/L, p = 0.03), maximum cortisol concentration (547 ± 18 vs. 495 &...

Overt primary adrenocortical failure is preceded by several stages of subclinical hypoadrenocorticolism. Individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) or who have other autoimmune conditions are at risk for the development of Autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD). These at risk individuals can be identified by the detection of adrenal autoantibodies (AAb).The aim of this study was two fold: firstly, to evaluate the sensitivity of early morning cortisol: ACTH ratio...