Endocrine Abstracts

Joint UK guideline (2006) recommends that routine testing of thyroid function (TFT) in patients admitted acutely to hospital is not warranted unless specific clinical indications exist. Despite this, TFT is frequently requested during acute medical admission. In our previous audit in 2002, during a 1 month period from 18th September, 458 subjects were admitted to medical assessment unit (MAU) and 183 (40%) were offered TFT. 39 (29%) results were beyond the laboratory reference...

Obesity/Metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance, hypertension, cardiovascular disease) has reached epidemic levels in western societies. Aberrantly elevated glucocorticoid amplification by intracellular enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD-1) within adipose tissue might explain the striking similarities between idiopathic obesity/metabolic syndrome and Cushing’s syndrome, causes by plasma GC excess. A major contributor to obesity/metabol...

Introduction: While a great degree of focus has recently been placed on identifying novel steroidogenic pathways that are active in cancer development (e.g. Androgen metabolism and Androgen Receptor (AR) Signalling, Glucocorticoid Metabolism and Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signalling) very few studies have examined these pathways in normal breast samples taken under non-pathological conditions. Furthermore, very few studies have examined the steroid levels in non-pathological...

Introduction: This case series consist of three brothers who are aged 24, 27 and 28. The eldest brother was diagnosed with CAH at 18 days when he presented with poor weight gain, vomiting and persistent jaundice with hyponatraemia. The parents received genetic counselling for the next two pregnancies and all three children were managed with hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone maintainence therapy. They were closely monitored for their growth rates, signs of precocious puberty a...

Introduction: There are multiple causes of delayed puberty including constitutional delay in growth and puberty, chronic diseases, hypothyroidism, and pituitary tumours (e.g. craniopharyngioma). Delayed puberty due to macroprolactinoma is rare.Case Presentation: A 23-year-old male was reviewed in the Endocrine clinic after presenting with headaches and generally feeling unwell. Blood test showed a high prolactin level of 84637, low FT 7.7, low testostero...

Background: The causes of thyrotoxicosis include hot and Graves disease. Graves’ disease can be associated with Graves eye disease, and thus have a psychological impact on the patient. The treatment of thyrotoxicosis includes medical therapy, surgical therapy, and radioiodine treatment. Treatment of thyroid eye disease includes both medical and surgical therapy in a multidisciplinary setting. Medical treatment using steroids may worsen hyperglycaemia in patients with exis...

Chronically elevated glucocorticoid (GC) level impairs cognition. In rodents, elevated plasma GC levels, prior to an inflammatory challenge, potentiates neuroinflammation that is abolished by GR but not MR antagonism. 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type-1 (11β-HSD1) increases intracellular GC levels by regenerating active GCs from inert forms. Inhibition/deficiency of 11β-HSD1 is protective against age-related cognitive decline presumably by lifelong reduced b...

There have been raising concerns in the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals like triclosan (TCS) on the embryo development. Triclosan (TCS) is commonly present in household and personal wash products We hypothesize that exposure to TCS during early stage of development could alter brain development affecting behavior. To test this hypothesis, primary cortical neurons were exposure to TCS with/without estrogen antiestrogen ICI 182780 from day in vitro 1 to 4. We also addr...

Ca2+ homeostasis has been reported to play important roles in various cell systems. In central nerves system, the dysregulation of Ca2+ homeostasis can induce the excitotoxic and neurodegeneration. NCKX3 (Sodium/potassium/calcium exchanger 3), a novel member of the family of K+-dependent Na+/Ca2+ exchangers, is an important component of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. In addition, NCKX3 highly expressed in tha...

Current guidelines on cardiovascular (CV) disease prevention recommend targeted management after assessment of CV risks using many of available method even if the patient is asymptomatic. This study was performed to explore how CV high-risk is differently detected between two distinct methods: non-invasive test (NIT) and risk calculation and how the awareness of CV high-risk impacts physician and patient behavior for risk management in diabetes patient.A...