Endocrine Abstracts

The SMP30 (Senescence Marker Protein 30) is involved in the maintenance of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and in the regulation of various Ca2+- dependent proteins. A suppressive effect on cell proliferation, DNA synthesis and on the expression of oncogenes in rat hepatoma cells overexpressing SMP30 has been reported recently suggesting it may have a role in cancer progression. High levels of SMP30 expression have been found in liver and kidney of rats bu...

Conventional intramuscular preparations of testosterone esters are associated with wide fluctuations in serum testosterone (T) levels following administration, even when a lower dose (100 mg) is injected every 7–10 days, let alone 250 mg every 2–3 weeks. Depot Testosterone undecanoate [TU -Nebido] is a newly available option for androgen replacement. The possibility of achieving stable therapeutic serum T levels over a period of months is its principal attraction. Da...

Phaeochromocytomas (PCC) are rare neuroendocrine tumours of chromaffin cells that are characterised by autonomous production of catecholamines. Fundamental to the detection and diagnosis is the biochemical confirmation of excessive catecholamine production by the measurement of plasma or urinary catecholamines and metanephrines. Recently, plasma metanephrines have been shown to provide a high diagnostic sensitivity for the detection of catecholamine secreting tumours and unlik...

Historically, acute neurosurgical decompression has been considered treatment of choice for pituitary apoplexy with some studies advocating a conservative approach. We describe a patient, with reduced consciousness due to apoplexy of a gonadotroph adenoma, in whom there was spontaneous tumour shrinkage. A 68-year-old gentleman presented following a collapse with hypothermia, bradycardia and bitemporal hemianopia. Initial investigations showed low plasma sodium and glucose. Ove...

Background: IRS consists of ≥3 of the following components: obesity (BMI >98th centile), abnormal insulin glucose homeostasis, hypertension, dyslipidaemia. Elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is a marker of NAFLD.Objective: To define the prevalence of IRS and NAFLD in obese children referred to our centre.Methods: subjects: mean BMI-SDS +6 (+0.6 to +14), median age 13.4 years (3–19), female 66%, British Asi...

Background: Atrial fibrillation occurs in 5–15% of hyperthyroid patients. On the other hand, amiodarone is a highly effective antiarrhythmic agent. Despite antiarrhythmic treatment, iodine-induced hyperthyroidism via amiodarone may be associated with recurrence of initial arrhythmias.Aims: To assess if amiodarone maintained it’s antiarrhythmic efficacy in the presence of amiodarone-induced hyperthyroidism (AIT).Patients a...

Carcinoid tumours are the commonest neuroendocrine neoplasms (NET) with a prevalence of less than one person per 100,000 population. The proliferative index (Ki67%) has a prognostic relevance for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours, however its value in non-pancreatic NET tumours is unclear. Our retrospective audit was done to look at factors affecting survival. Medical records of 96 patients referred to our clinic since 1999 with a diagnosis of NET tumour (excluding pancreatic ...

Many risk factors predict fractures overall, but other factors may be associated with the incidence of vertebral fractures in particular. We carried out a 10-year prospective study of a population-based group of women, ages 50 to 85 years. At baseline we measured bone mineral density (BMD) and collected fasting blood samples for biochemical measurements including serum calcium, alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone, creatinine, phosphate, albumin and thyroid hormones. Medi...

Background: Ectopic malignancies arising from adrenal rests are extremely rare. Localization has been reported in the retroperitoneum, testis/scrotum, ovary, kidney, anterior abdominal wall, spinal cord, and liver associated with embryological development 1-3.Objective: This report presents a case of ectopic adrenocortical cancer (ACC) localized to the pancreas. An exciting feature of the case was the simultaneous presence of breast cancer.</p...

Background: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT), the visceral fat of de myocardium, has been positively related to insulin resistance (IR), cardiovascular risk and the left ventricular myocardial mass. Whether EAT thickness in acromegaly is mediated by GH/IGF-1, IR or other factors remains to be elucidated.Objective: The aims of this study were: 1) To investigate whether EAT in patients with ACRO is linked to IR and pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory rel...