Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Infants born small for gestational age (SGA) usually show catch-up growth during the first few years of post-natal life. However, some infants remain small and little is known about the factors governing their growth failure. GH and IGF1 receptor mutations only account for a minority of cases. We have now initiated an in vitro assessment of signalling molecules downstream of these receptors and evaluation of cell growth characteristics.<p class="abstext"...

Background: Infants born small for gestational age (SGA) usually show catch up growth within the first few years of life. However in the UK ~1500 SGA children each year remain small, with no clear endocrine cause with rare genetic syndromes accounting for only a minority of cases. In order to define growth factor activation in these children we have initiated an assessment of cell growth and signalling in response to GH and IGF1 in fibroblast cell lines....

Background: Infants born small for gestational age (SGA) usually show catch-up growth during the first few years of post-natal life. However, some infants remain small and little is known about the factors governing their growth failure. IGF-I receptor mutations account for a minority of cases therefore we have initiated an assessment of signalling molecules downstream of the receptor.Method: Skin biopsies were obtained with local ethics approval from he...

Background: Approximately 1000 children per annum born small for gestational age (SGA) will fail to catch-up and become eligible for GH treatment. The reason for this failed growth is often not defined. Understanding mechanisms that cause growth failure in SGA and finding potential biomarkers of poor growth is therefore important. We are using the new technique of Metabolomics as one avenue to address this. Metabolomics is the quantification of small molecule metabolites in a ...

Introduction: Methods to predict clinically meaningful weight loss can help tailor treatment for people with overweight or obesity. LIGHT-UP (NCT03058029), is a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study over 25 weeks including 254 people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes (127 each in the Gelesis200 and placebo arms) with a body mass index between 27 and 40 kg/m2, which demonstrated that Gelesis200 offers a compelling new potential approach in...

Introduction: Thyroid surgery was initially considered as “horrid butchery” due to associated high morbidity and mortality, however with the advent of safe surgical techniques and improved understanding of thyroid physiology, thyroid surgery has become safer. Still there are certain intra-operative factors, as described in Difficulty Thyroidectomy Scale (DTS)which are thought to be associated with adverse outcome. However anatomical parameters also need to be address...

As humans age their ability to combat bacterial infection declines and reduced immunity is further compromised at times of emotional and physical stress. Adrenocortical hormones are elevated in response to chronic stress in both young and old, but the quality of the response is dramatically altered with aging. The adrenal steroid dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) is immune enhancing, while cortisol is immune suppressing. Serum DHEAS levels decline with age but cortisol d...

Parathyroid carcinoma accounts for 0.5–5% of primary hyperparathyroidism. Preoperative diagnosis is difficult.A 33-year-old butcher presented in July 2007 with a 3 month history of nausea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, general weakness and 1 stone weight loss. He denied polyuria, polydipsia or bone pain.Past history included Raynaud’s disease, depression and panic attacks. His regular medications were omeprazole and p...