Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Also known as preadipocyte factor 1 (pref-1) or delta-like 1 (Dlk1), fetal antigen 1 (FA1) was originally isolated from amniotic fluid and it is involved in tissue homeostatis during development and tissue regeneration in the post-natal organisms. FA1 may also plays a role in energy metabolism since mice deficient in FA1 are obese and mice overexpressing FA1 exhibit a lipodystrophy phenotype.In our study we determined FA1 serum levels in pati...

Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcaemia (FHH) is an autosomal dominant disorder of mineral metabolism that is characterized by lifelong elevation of serum calcium concentrations associated with inappropriately low urinary calcium excretion (calcium clearance:creatinine clearance <0.01). Three separate FHH loci have been identified (FHH1-3). Loss-of-function mutations of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) gene located on 3q21.1, which account for the majority of FHH c...

Background: Musculoskeletal symptoms are common but unrecognized symptoms of thyroid dysfunction. We present a case report of an elderly man presenting with acute paraparesis as the first manifestation of thyrotoxicosis.Case report: A 73-year man presented with 1-week history of weakness in both legs and inability to mobilize or stand. Neurological examination revealed severe proximal muscle weakness (grade 0/5 power) of both lower limbs with reduced ten...

Background: Dopamine agonist (DA) withdrawal is common in the management of microprolactinoma. Guidelines in 19971 and 20062 suggest that DA should be withdrawn after normoprolactinaemia for 3 years.Aims: To assess DA withdrawal and adherence to guidelines.Methods: We retrospectively examined casenotes from 1997 to 2008. Patients were included with clinical and biochemical evidence of hyperprolactinaemia, and ...

Objective: Pheochromocytoma is a rare disease with an incidence of 2–6 per million, and a prevalence of 0.1–0.6% in patients with hypertension. Pheochromocytoma may occur sporadically or as part of hereditary syndrome. According to the latest studies, among patients with non-syndromic pheochromocytoma, up to 24% of tumors may be inherited. However, genetic testing was not generally performed until recently. There is still a debate which pheochromocytoma patient shoul...

20alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (20αHSD) has been initially characterized as a progesterone metabolizing enzyme of the ovary mandatory for the final reduction of progesterone blood levels before parturition. As the exact zonal distribution and regulation of adrenal 20αHSD has not been defined, adrenal 20αHSD expression and activity was determined by western blotting, immunohistochemistry and enzymatic assays in wild type BALB/c mice of both genders at diffe...

Osteoporosis has a strong genetic component and is a common side-effect in patients with long-term glucocorticoid (GC) treatment. Vitamin D plays an important role in bone metabolism, and polymorphisms in its receptor (VDR) gene have been implicated in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. On the other hand, variability in the sensitivity to GCs, due to polymorphic variants of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene was observed in patients treated with GCs, both with regard to the ...

Objective: Evaluate the influence of altered cortisol binding globulin (CBG) concentration on total cortisol and calculated free cortisol (CFC) during the 250 μg ACTH test.Methods: We included 100 unmedicated healthy individuals (HI) (50M:50F), 13 women taking oral contraception (OC), and 5 men with nefrotic syndrome (NS, prior to glucocorticoid treatment; hypoalbuminaemia <9 g/l; proteinuria >1.6 g/24 h). An ACTH-test was performed between ...

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) regulate adipocyte differentiation and gene expression by an interplay with other transcription factors. They are the nuclear receptor that are mostly expressed in adipocytes and some nonadipose tissues like intestinal wall, muscles, liver and macrophages. The aim of the study was to assess the possible association between Pro12Ala PPAR-gamma2 receptor gene polymorphism and satiety factors, insulin resistance and androgen exc...

Background: Arm swing is a Chinese style of exercise. During the exercise, participants stand and simultaneously move their both arms forward and then backward for about 1 round per second.Abstract: The present study aims to investigate effects of arm exercise training on metabolic responses in type 2 diabetic Thai patients.Methods: Fourteen male and 47 female diabetic patients (aged 57.5±1.4 yrs) without cardiovascular diseas...