Endocrine Abstracts

Background: 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA), a metabolite of serotonin, is used as a marker for patients with serotonin-secreting neuroendocrine tumours (NET). Currently, the majority of laboratories measure 5-HIAA excretion in 24 h urine samples. Given the practicality and analytic problems of these samples, our laboratory successfully developed a LC–MS/MS method for the analysis of 5-HIAA in serum samples. Further to this, we have now developed a method to measure ...

In 2003, a 60-year-old man presented to our unit non-specifically unwell. Thyroid function tests (TFTs) demonstrated an elevated fT4 of 50 pmol/l (reference range 10–22 pmol/l)), T3 8.8 pmol/l (reference range 3.1–6.8 pmol/l) and TSH of 10.3 mU/l (reference range 0.5–4.5 mU/l)). Following appropriate investigations, a TSHoma was confirmed. MRI of the Pituitary confirmed the finding of a macroadenoma and the patient underwent pituitary decom...

We report a case of severe postradiation encephalitis presenting 6 months following pituitary radiotherapy for pituitary adenoma. Our patient (78 years old female) was diagnosed with non-functioning pituitary ademona compromising the optic chiasm in 1999 at the age of 66 years. She underwent transphenoideal decompression in 2000. Over the next 8 years there was slow re-growth of the pituitary adenoma and by 2008 it was causing optic chiasm compression. At this stage, the patie...

A 29-year-old lady with known Addison’s disease and hypothyroidism was admitted with a history of increasing lethargy and dizziness for 2 weeks. At the time of admission she was on (and compliant with) Hydrocortisone 20 mg twice daily, Fludrocortisone 100 mcg once daily and Thyroxine 150 mcg once daily. On the day of admission her BP was 128/92 mmHg with no postural drop. Her electrolytes were normal, however an early morning cortisol measured 28 mmol/l. She was treated w...

Patients on hydrocortisone (HC) replacement for pituitary failure, Addisons disease or congenital adrenal hyperplasia are at risk of developing an Addisonian crisis if they become unwell with a severe infection or injury. This can be averted by prompt administration of intramuscular HC, traditionally by a medial professional. From 2004 we offered training to patients and a carer/partner in self-administration of HC. This was time consuming and the take up was slow. We therefor...

Background: High resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HRpQCT) can accurately determine three-dimensional in-vivo skeletal microstructure. However, HRpQCT is limited to the ultradistal radius and tibia (9 mm) imaging. MRI may be an alternative approach to cortical and trabecular bone analysis; to date there is limited information regarding the accurate quantification of trabecular bone.Method: Ninety-three 13–16 years-old ...

Introduction: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is the gold standard treatment for adrenal lesions. High volume centres with input from endocrinologists and urologists with a special interest in adrenal lesions may have best outcomes. Aims: To audit our practice and set standards with reference to preoperative workup and postoperative follow-up. This is a single centre, single surgeon experience of surgical adrenalectomy.Material & Method: Over a 10 year pe...

The cohort comprised 2296 patients with Graves’ disease (GD) (1920 females, 376 males) and 361 with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) (313 females, 48 males) recruited using standard diagnostic criteria for investigation of genetic susceptibility to AITD. We investigated variation in disease phenotype with age and gender, examining factors including biochemical severity, presence of goitre and presence of thyroid eye disease (TED) classified by NOSPECS score.<p class=...

Autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD), Graves’ disease (GD) and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) cluster in families. We investigated whether having a family history (FH) of AITD altered age of diagnosis. The cohort comprised 2296 GD (1920F,376M) and 361 HT (313F,48M) recruited according to standard diagnostic criteria. We compared age at diagnosis of GD or HT in those with or without a FH of overt hyper- or hypothyroidism (ascertained using a standardised questionnaire).</...

The association of autoimmune thyroid diseases (AITD) with other autoimmune disorders is well documented. Familial prevalence of thyroid dysfunction and other autoimmune diseases was examined in our cohort of 2296 with Graves’ disease (GD) (1920 females, 376 males) and 361 with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) (313 females, 48 males), probands being recruited using standard diagnostic criteria. FH was ascertained using a standardised structured questionnaire.<p class...