Endocrine Abstracts

The increased incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among the aged is associated with an impaired skeletal structure and a higher prevalence for bone fractures. Besides, anti-diabetic therapies can also negatively affect bone mass. In this study, we tested the skeletal effects of chronic administration of two glucagon-like peptide receptor (GLP-1R) agonists and examined the expression of GLP-1R in bone tissue and cells. Twelve week-old female C57Bl/6N mice were ovariect...

Therapeutic glucocorticoids are used in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to reduce inflammation and bone destruction. We recently reported that primary synovial fibroblasts generate active glucocorticoids via expression of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1). This enzyme activates cortisol from inactive cortisone (and prednisolone from prednisone) and this activity is up-regulated by inflammation. We have now examined glucocorticoid metabolism in synovial tissu...

Background: Corticotroph tumours are a heterogenous group of pituitary neuroendocrine tumours (PitNETs) in terms of their histological type, clinical presentation and tumour behaviour. These tumours are overrepresented in recurrent PitNETs and pose an important clinical and therapeutic challenge1. Although risk factors such as radiological invasion and elevated proliferative markers have been identified for PitNET recurrence, an improvement in proposed prognostic mo...

Background: Pituitary neuroendocrine tumours (PitNETs) that cause acromegaly are often collectively categorised as ‘growth hormone (GH) secreting adenomas’. The 2022 WHO classification however identifies 7 histological variants that can secrete GH: densely granulated somatotroph (DGST), sparsely granulated somatotroph (SGST), mammosomatotroph (MST), mixed somatotroph and lactotroph (MSLT), mature plurihormonal PIT1 (MPPT), immature PIT1 (IPT) and acidophil stem cell ...

Background: Secondary malignant sarcoma in the sella after radiotherapy for pituitary tumours is rare. Osteogenic sarcoma arising within the fossa after pituitary irradiation has only been described in a few case reports.Clinical Case: A 31-year-old male patient without significant medical History presented in 2012 with bitemporal hemianopia. There were no associated headaches or clinical features of excess hormone secretion. MRI demonstrated a 26×3...

Introduction: In the UK alone, diabetes affects nearly 4 million people and an additional 13.6 million people are estimated to be at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Diabetes is associated with vascular complications which path the development of cardiovascular diseases such as strokes and heart attacks. Previous studies have shown various pathways in which hyperglycaemia leads to endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance. However, current reports of <e...

Pathogenic variants in the SDHx genes are responsible for ~20% of familial Phaeochromocytoma/Paraganglioma (PPGL) tumours. Metastatic disease is lower in SDHD in comparison to SDHA, B and C mutations. Although the genotype-phenotype relationship is not well established it is considered that truncating SDHD pathogenic variants have a higher risk of causing disease in comparison to missense variants. We present two cases of metastatic paraganglioma in patients with heterozygous ...

Case history: A 59 year old Afro-Carribbean male with a 25 year history of cardiac enlargement and hypertension, on multiple anti-hypertensives, presented with increasing breathlessness and several years of markedly reduced exercise tolerance. He was intolerant of spironolactone and eplerenone. His past medical history included hypertersion, obstructive sleep apnoea, Steven-Johnson syndrome secondary to allopurinol, thyrotoxicosis treated with radio-active iodine, monoclonal g...

Background: MBDP describes inadequate mineralisation of bones in the preterm infant. Traditionally, neonatologists have used a raised ALP and low phosphate to diagnose MBDP, with phosphate supplements as first-line treatment. An alternative management approach, published by Chinoy et al (2019), recommended PTH and vitamin D in the routine work-up. Objectives: We undertook a review of data across two neonatal intensive care units:<p class="ab...

Background: The majority of adrenal incidentalomas are benign and patients can be reassured, but a personalized and multidisciplinary approach is required when dealing with these lesions, since they might be linked with various comorbidities. The aim of our study was to carry out an in-depth analysis of the biochemical workup of adrenal incidentalomas and comparing the results with controls. Methods: 252 patients with an incidentally discovered adrenal a...