Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Adults with growth hormone deficiency (GHD) have increased central fat deposits, hypertriglyceridemia, and hyperglycaemia, with an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, conditions that can lead to a diminished quality of life. This study analyzed comorbidities among adults with GHD in the US who had Medicaid or commercial health insurance.Methods: In this retrospective cohort study using IBM Marketscan Me...

Adrenal lymphangiomatous cysts are rare, often found incidentally, but can also present in association with abdominal/loin pain or hypertension.1 They have occasionally been reported in association with hormone over secretion of either aldosterone, cortisol or catecholamines. We present a case of a 40-year-old serving soldier who was suddenly awoken with severe left sided abdominal and flank pain. Over the course of several months, he was forced to take time off wor...

Introduction: We offer patients needing glucocorticoid replacement in primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency the choice of either once daily prednisolone or thrice daily hydrocortisone. A recent European study found no difference between prednisolone and hydrocortisone users in several markers, including glucose, weight, body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure and waist circumference, although they did suggest an increase in cholesterol and low densit...

Introduction: We offer patients needing glucocorticoid replacement in primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency the choice of either once daily prednisolone or thrice daily hydrocortisone. A recent European study found no difference between prednisolone and hydrocortisone users in several markers, including glucose, weight, body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure and waist circumference, although they did suggest an increase in cholesterol and low densit...

Background: Cyclical Cushing syndrome (CCS) is a rare variant of Cushing syndrome (CS) characterized by periodic cycles of cortisol excess. Diagnosis of CCS is difficult because cortisol excess occurs unpredictably and often limited to short periods. We present 2 unusual cases where the patients developed severe prolonged life-threatening “square wave” hypercortisolemic phase followed by eucortisolemia, both phases extending > 3 months. Case 1: A 75 year old male...

Case Summary: A 53-year-old lady who was normally fit and well, presented with a 3 months history of polydipsia and excessive polyuria up to 13 litres a day. A water deprivation test confirmed a cranial diabetes insipidus, and she was started on desmopressin. Apart from hypothyroidism that was well controlled with levothyroxine replacement, the rest of her pituitary profile was unremarkable for a lady of her age. The rest of her investigations showed persistent increased infla...

Introduction: Insulin-sensitive tissues such as liver and skeletal muscle modify their gene expression under conditions of obesity-induced insulin resistance, and some of these gene products may be released to maintain glucose homeostasis. This study aimed to identify mRNAs encoding liver and skeletal muscle peptides that have the potential to regulate β-cell function by binding to islet GPCRs, and to quantify changes in expression of these liver and muscle mRNAs in obese...

Although characterised predominantly for its role in the brain, the neuropeptide kisspeptin has previously been shown to potentiate glucose-stimulated insulin through its receptor, GPR54; expressed abundantly in β-cells. We have previously reported a physiological role for kisspeptin signalling in the islet adaptation to pregnancy, using a β-cell specific GPR54 knockout mouse line (βGPR54ko). The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of impaired &#...

Background: Hyperprolactinaemia is the common endocrine disorders. More commonly diagnosed in women due to menstrual irregularity, infertility and galactorrhoea. Hyperprolactinaemia can be due to many physiological stimuli such as stress, sleep, exercise, medications, primary hypothyroidism, renal failure, chest wall lesion. Stress of venepuncture can contribute to hyperprolactinaemia as well.Patient and methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of ...

Previous studies have shown beneficial effects of the corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) family, including the urocortins (UCN1, UCN2 and UCN3), on pancreatic islets and subsequent glucose homeostasis. However, the physiological relevance of this interaction is not currently understood. CRH and urocortins are also expressed by placenta, so this study investigated whether signalling through CRH receptor 1 or 2 (CRHR1/CRHR2) plays a role in the islet adaptation to pregnancy. ...