Endocrine Abstracts

Selective transsphenoidal adenomectomy remains the accepted first line treatment for Cushing’s disease (CD), until recently by microscopic (sublabial) transsphenoidal pituitary surgery. Endonasal transsphenoidal endoscopic surgery is emerging as a novel, less invasive treatment for pituitary adenomas with lower postoperative complications and morbidity. The safety of endoscopic surgery has been extensively reviewed in adult patients and is now considered best practice for...

Introduction: 131I-MIBG is a well-established treatment modality for patients with neuroendocrine tumours (NETs). Our centre has now accumulated over 10 years of experience with 131I-MIBG therapy, with long term data to evaluate effects on disease progress and other long term outcomes following therapy. Bone marrow effects of radionuclide therapy may include prolonged suppression, myelodysplasia or even frank leukaemia. Incidence is thought to be low, but...

Introduction: Bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture tendency are influenced by diet, activity, drugs, and hormones. Recent studies highlight an inverse relationship between serotonin and BMD, of uncertain mechanism.Purpose: We investigated the relationship between serotonin metabolites and BMD in patients with sporadic neuroendocrine tumours (NETs), with and without the carcinoid syndrome.Materials and methods: One-year prospecti...

A 24-year-old woman presented with stridor resulting from a large, firm, anterior neck mass. At age six she had been treated for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) with vincristine, prednisolone, daunorubicin, asparaginase, prophylactic cranial radiotherapy and intrathecal methotrexate. She also had primary hypothyroidism with strongly positive thyroid peroxidase antibodies.The mass had been gradually enlarging for 6 months, causing exertional breathles...

Background/objective: Published data suggest that growth hormone replacement (GHR) may be safely given to patients with hypopituitarism consequent upon a pituitary/peri-pituitary tumour. However, to date, these series have included a preponderance of patients treated with external pituitary irradiation. We have performed a retrospective study to evaluate the recurrence rate in a group of patients with pituitary/peripituitary tumours treated with GHR.Meth...

ObjectiveActive acromegaly is associated with increased mortality. While surgery is the mainstay of treatment, it is not always curative. In selected cases, CyberKnife stereotactic radiosurgery (CK SRS) can be used as adjuvant treatment in patients with persistent disease.DesignThis is a retrospective review of the biochemical and imaging characteristics for patients with active acromegaly treated with CK SRS...

A 54-year-old man presented to the heart attack centre with cardiac chest pain, vomiting and collapse. Biochemistry (troponin incremented from 117 to 315ng/l) and electrocardiogram confirmed a diagnosis of non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Past medical history included type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension (diagnosed 8 years previously), hypercholesterolaemia and a 20 pack year smoking history. Secondary prevention for MI was commenced and coronary angiograp...

Introduction: Primary aldosteronism (PA) is both the most common form of secondary hypertension and a high-risk subset associated with increased cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and renal morbidity compared to essential hypertension. Unilateral PA is amenable to surgery, biochemical cure and reversal of this excess risk; whilst bilateral disease is best treated through mechanism-directed medical therapy. Currently, PA subtype classification relies on adrenal venous sampling (AV...

Background: Patients being treated for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) receive a dose of Radioiodine for remnant ablation. Occasional patients appear to have little or no iodine uptake at all in the thyroid bed or else where even shortly after thyroidectomy.Objective: To evaluate the influence of ‘Coexisting Thyroiditis’ on radioiodine uptake in thyroid cancer ablation doses.Methods and Design: Retrospec...

Background: Patients being treated for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) receive a dose of Radioiodine for remnant ablation. Occasional patients appear to have little or no iodine uptake at all in the thyroid bed or else where even shortly after thyroidectomy.Objective: To evaluate the influence of ‘Coexisting Thyroiditis’ on radioiodine uptake in thyroid cancer ablation doses.Methods and Design: Retrospec...