Endocrine Abstracts

Thyroid storm is a rare complication of thyrotoxicosis, life-threatening if not managed appropriately.We report a 43-year-old woman who presented to emergency services with shortness of breath, palpitations and weight loss. She was pale, cachectic, in atrial fibrillation and had signs of decompensated heart failure. Investigations showed: WBCs: 3.2×109/l, neutrophils 2.1×109/l, Hb 53 g/l, platelet 233, TSH <0.02 mIU/l, FT4 64 (10–25 pm...

Inappropriately low circulating PTH levels following thyroid surgery, is the most common cause of iatrogenic hypocalcaemia. Standard treatment of hypoparathyroidism has comprised vitamin D analogue and calcium supplementation. However some patients remain hypocalcaemic despite use of maximal titrated and tolerated therapy. Teriparatide is recombinant formulation of endogenous PTH, containing 34 amino acid sequence which is identical to the N-terminal portion of this hormone. W...

Obesity is linked to common metabolic diseases including insulin resistance, which constitutes a principal risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Increasing evidence indicates that changes in adipose-secreted factors in obesity, dramatically affect insulin sensitivity. Among these adipokines, resistin is described as a key factor in obesity-mediated both inflammation and insulin resistance. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms mediating resistin effects particular...

Diabetes mellitus is life threatening endocrine disorder with high morbidity and mortality, which is featured by persistent high blood glucose levels due to defect in the insulin secretion, insulin action or both. Extreme high blood glucose levels associated with diabetes leads to various organ dysfunction particularly nervous system, eye, cardiovascular system, and kidney. Kaempferol is a dietary bioflavonoid that is common in plant-derived foods and used in traditional medic...

Introduction: Iodine deficiency has serious consequences for both the mother and the offspring, it is a real public health problem. Our aim was to study the iodine status impact on thyroid parameters during the first trimester of pregnancy in women free of any current or previous thyroid disease.Patients and methods: Prospective study, on 145 pregnant women (mean age of 29.4±0.5 years) at 10.4±0.2 weeks of gestation. Women with disrupted thyroi...

Introduction: Hypothyroidism is known for its adverse effects for both the pregnant woman and her offspring. Our aim is to highlight the benefits of screening for hypothyroidism in all pregnant women with and without risk factors.Patients and methods: Prospective study, on 270 pregnant women. Women with disrupted thyroid balance, who smoke (active smoking confessed) and those followed for thyroid disease or taking medications that interfere with the thyr...

Background: Hypercalcaemia can occur in 20–30% of malignancy. Neuroendocrine malignancy-related hypercalcaemia is relatively rare with few reported cases, mostly in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours. It could be related to humoral hypercalcaemia of malignancy (PTHrP secretion), production of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) by the tumour or production of PTH by the tumour1,2. Here we describe a case of metastatic neuroendocrine tumour with pos...

Introduction: Adrenal metastases used to be rare in endocrinology compared to others adrenal tumours, and deemed to have a dire prognosis. Our aim is to analyze 13 cases in order to study their morphological aspects, their causes, and their outcome.Subjects and method: Thirteen cases were studied over a long period of time (2000–2012). All of them had biological, hormonal, and radiological assessments.Results: We had ten men a...

The enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) is expressed by gut epithelial cells. DPP-IV cleaves X-proline dipeptides from the N-terminus of polypeptide hormones including GLP-1, GIP and PYY. DPP-IV causes a deactivation of the incretin hormones GLP-1 and GIP, whereas conversely, by converting PYY1–36 to PYY3–36 it allows specific activation of the Y2 receptors in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus leading to hypophagia. Infused PYY3–36 has been ...

Introduction: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a clustering of cardiovascular risk factors, such as obesity, lipid abnormalities, impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance and hypertension. Exercise is reported to lower cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and improve reproductive health. The effect of exercise on plasma adiponectin and the components of leptin system, namely plasma free (FL) and bound (BL) leptin concentrations, have not been previously...