Endocrine Abstracts

Recently we have completed steroid metabolomic study including unconjugated (n=39) and conjugated steroids (n=30) in maternal and fetal body fluids using GC-MS method with two separate multicomponent analyses (for unconjugated steroids and steroid polar conjugates). Our previous data indicate that primarily oxidative isoforms of pluripotent 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases and aldoketoreductases in placental tissue close to the fetal compartment convert 3&#...

Recently we demonstrated a close correlation between the gestational age (GA) and steroid metabolome in maternal and fetal body fluids using multivariate models including both unconjugated (n=39) and conjugated steroids (n=30) that were measured by GC-MS method including two separate multicomponent analyses (for unconjugated steroids and steroid polar conjugates). We focused on the comparison of the predictive value of the levels of unconjugated steroids alone, c...

A 53-year-old man with acromegaly was referred for neurosurgical treatment. At admission: GH 240 ME/l at all time points of glucose tolerance test, IGF1 – 415.1 ng/ml, brain MRI showed pituitary adenoma 34×32×27 mm extending suprasellar, deforming and displacing optic chiasm, parasellar to both cavernous sinuses and surrounding left internal carotid artery. Clinical blood tests revealed marked erythrocytosis – 6.1×1012, Hb – 200 g/l, HC...

Von-Hippel Lindau syndrome (VHL) is a familial disorder presenting in children with a range of different neoplasia. A paediatric screening protocol was published in 2000 and has now been applied to patients in our centre. Screening for VHL is multi-disciplinary involving clinical, biochemical, and radiological investigations.Methods: Data was collected between 2000 and 2007 in 14 children on compliance with screening and identification of pathological le...

Phyto-oestrogens are plant-derived compounds that have oestrogenic and/or anti-oestrogenic activity. They are constituents of many human foodstuffs but exposure is on the increase due to increasing availability of ‘herbal’ type medicines. The current study was initiated following the identification of large concentrations of lignan related phyto-oestrogen metabolites in the urine from a girl under investigation for precocious puberty.A GC-MS pr...

Primary empty sella (PES) is a frequent radiological entity in general population. The herniation of sub arachnoid space in the sella turcica can induce various visual and/or endocrine disorders. In this work we want to study first symptoms leading to diagnosis, clinical and paraclinical aspects of 36 adults with PES. Diagnosis of PES is made by TDM and/or IRM after exclusion of secondary empty sella. In this study empty sella is considered as complete in 51.5% cases and parti...

AMH, the fetal testicular sexual differentiative factor, is now implicated in adult ovarian function. Antral follicle immunohistochemistry demonstrated AMH protein and message, the staining peaking around 4 mm. Interestingly, AMH-knockout mice have increased FSH sensitivity. Our aim was to measure AMH in follicular fluid and cell-conditioned medium and AMHRII in normal ovaries from women undergoing TAH/BSO.Follicles were dissected intact, follicular flui...

Castrate Resistant Prostate Cancer (CRPC) is the inevitable outcome of hormone treatment for advanced disease. Although no longer dependent on high levels of androgens, the androgen receptor (AR) remains active and there is evidence that other nuclear receptors (NRs) can drive CRPC progression and/or therapy resistance. NRs share a repertoire of essential coregulators: proteins possessing the ability to aid or repress NR action and have been proposed as a potential mechanism f...

Screening of patients with diabetes for psychological distress should be undertaken regularly by the diabetes nurse specialist. Patients requiring intensive treatment of their diabetes experience emotional and mental health issues at a rate higher than the general population and recent clinical research shows value in cognitive and behavioral therapy. We undertook a survey of a mixed population in Dubai, United Arab Emirates to assess diabetes distress scores among our patient...

Klinefelter syndrome (KS; 47,XXY) is the most common sex chromosome disorder in man, affecting approximately 1:660 men, and is a common cause of infertility.Patients with KS are characterized by tall stature and progressive testicular failure. This results in azoospermia and androgen deficiency with an accompanying risk of developing several phenotypic characteristics in adulthood, e.g., osteopenia or even frank osteoporosis, and metabolic syndrome.<...