Endocrine Abstracts

There is now substantial evidence to suggest that the early life environment can have a permanent effect on adult physiology. Recently we have shown that early postnatal glucocorticoid (GC) exposure produces alterations in midbrain dopaminergic cell number in the adult rat, in a gender-specific manner (McArthur et al., Brit. Neurosci. Assoc. Abstr. 2003;17:27). Since the protein annexin 1 (ANXA1) mediates some aspects of the effects of GCs within the immune system and the hypo...

Introduction: Several previous case reports have described the use of the calcium-blocker Nifedipine for the treatment of hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia (HH). These cases are a collection of transient/permanent forms of HH, with known/unknown genetics, where Nifedipine has been used either as monotherapy or in combination with other medications. There have been no previous reports of any systematic trial of Nifedipine use in patients with HH due to mutations in the ABCC8<...

Case 1: A 57-year-old lady referred to the Endocrinology department due to a CT Abdomen, performed for abdominal pain, reporting the presence of an incidental left adrenal adenoma. Imaging was reviewed in the Adrenal MDT meeting and further CT Abdomen arranged. Images were reviewed before and after oral contrast. Pre-contrast images revealed a small volume of high-density material within a rounded structure in the left upper quadrant, immediately superior to t...

Introduction: Congenital hypothyroidism is caused by abnormal development or function of the thyroid gland. Early detection through heel prick screening and treatment prevents irreversible adverse neuro developmental outcome. The national screening program for congenital hypothyroidism in the UK has extremely low false positive rates. We describe 4 siblings with falsely raised TSH related to maternally transmitted macroTSH.Case s...

Introduction/Background: PRRT is a high cost treatment for progressing Neuroendocrine tumours. Patients and healthcare providers invest heavily in the treatment journey that lasts a number of months.Aims: To assess the level of patient satisfaction with the PRRT service, to indicate areas for possible improvement and good practice and serve as a baseline for future assessments.Material and ...

Introduction/Background: Neuroendocrine Tumour (NET) patients can have specialist and complex needs and this can be exacerbated when they have PRRT. A new role was envisaged that would utilise a NET Clinical Nurse Specialist to work with both Nuclear Medicine and the NET team for delivering PRRT.Aims: As part of the wider NET team the aim for the new CNS was to embed outpatient PRRT delivery, increase capacity and delive...

Introduction: Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) can release harmful vasoactive substances into the systemic circulation, causing the characteristic features of carcinoid syndrome (CS) such as flushing, diarrhoea and bronchospasm. Approximately 20% of patients with CS develop carcinoid heart disease (CHD) due to progressive valve thickening, retraction and reduced mobility. CHD primarily affects the right-sided valves resulting in tricuspid and/or pulmonary regurgi...

Background: The peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) is recommended for somatostatin receptors (SSTR) positive neuroendocrine tumors (NET). However, complete remissions with PRRT remain anecdotal and NET patients with low SSTR-positivity are excluded from this treatment. Hence, any approach to increase SSTR2 expression can improve therapeutic efficacy of PRRT. Based on previous in vitro studies with NET cell lines, we hypothesize that a treatm...

Aim: Role of Endocrine Specialist Nurse (ESN) in performing cannulated prolactin and subsequent impact on outpatient clinic activities.Introduction: Hyperprolactinemia is a common condition in endocrine clinical practice. It may occur in any sex, at any age and its prevalence and incidence depend on study population. The most common physiological causes of elevated prolactin are stress, lactation, pregnancy and exercise. Non-physiological causes include ...

This is a case of a 38-year-old lady with a past medical history of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, functional neurological syndrome and unremarkable cardiac investigations for palpitations. She was referred by her general practitioner (GP) with episodic shaking, excessive sweating, recurrent hypo-and hyperglycaemia recorded by her own capillary blood glucose (CBG) meter, ranging from 1.9mmol/l to 19mmol/l. The episodes would mostly occur 1 to 3 times per week, usually in the afternoo...