Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Children with Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) have a predictable pattern of weight gain, with obesity beginning in early childhood and worsening as they get older. They have low tone and as a result their energy requirements are lower (typically 60% estimated average requirement for energy (EAR)) than age matched controls. We present three case studies of children with PWS who have been following a modified macronutrient diet, with significant positive changes to ...

Hypoparathyroidism, a rare endocrine disorder of insufficient parathyroid hormone, leads to hypocalcemia and often hyperphosphatemia. The PARADOX study assessed the clinical and personal disease impact from the affected patients’ perspective.Patients ≥18 years and diagnosed ≥6 months ago completed a non-validated, self-reported, web-based survey.Three hundred and seventy-four US adults (mean age, 49 years; women, 8...

Acetylation of DNA can result in gene silencing. In the thyroid such phenomena can lead to the loss of ability to accumulate radioiodide. The aim of this study was to examine the effects on the rat thyroid cell line FRTL-5 and human thyroid follicular cancer cell line FTC-133 of Trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deactylase inhibitor. A concentration of TSA was selected using MTT cell viability assays for use in uptake, efflux and expression studies. Cells were incubated with TSA...

Epigenetic phenomena such as methylation or acetylation of DNA can result in transcriptional inactivation and gene silencing. In the thyroid such phenomena can bring about the loss of ability to accumulate iodide as a result of methylation of CpG islands in human sodium iodide symporter (NIS) and Pendrin (PDS) DNA, limiting the ability to utilise radioiodide therapy. This study examines the effects of Trichostatin A (TSA) a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor on a rat thyroid...

Uptake of ingested iodide (I-) in the thyroid is achieved through an active transport system, the sodium iodide symporter (NIS). The gland has the ability to accumulate I- from the bloodstream by a factor of 20-40. Seaweeds, which in vivo bear the same relationship to seawater, as does the thyroid to the bloodstream, have a dramatically more efficient I- uptake system, accumulating I- from seawater by a factor of anything up to 1 mil...

IntroductionA high calcium-phosphate product is thought to increase the risk of soft tissue calcification in hypoparathyroidism, including cataracts. Based on small case series, cataracts in hypoparathyroidism typically develop in the posterior subcapsular region of the lens. However, the mechanism of cataract formation is still not well understood.Materials and methodsIn a large cohort of 1014 patients with ...

Introduction: Socio-economic factors have a huge impact on children and young people’s (CYP) overall health status. The rates of childhood overweight and obesity continue to rise and the CYP from areas with higher social deprivation are adversely affected with higher rates of obesity. We report the link between socio-economic deprivation and complications from excess weight (CEW) in the CYP being managed in a tier 3 multi-disciplinary (MDT) weight managem...

Context: Normocalcemic hyperparathyroidism (NHPT) is considered as an earlier or milder phenotype compared to traditional primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). To make a correct diagnosis, secondary hyperparathyroidism due to low calcium intake must be excluded. Whether calcium intake might affect presentation of PHPT vs NHPT has never been addressed consistently.Objective: To describe patients with a diagnosis of NHPT or PHPT in relation to their calcium ...

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are relatively new therapy drugs used for the treatment of metastatic cancers including Renal cell carcinoma (RCC), gastrointestinal stromal tumours, thyroid and neuroendocrine tumours. They block vascular endothelial growth factor and other growth factors Thyroid dysfunction is often a side effect of this treatment. A close monitoring of thyroid hormone levels is a necessity.We have a case of a 69-year-old lady with RCC...

Evidence from studies in goats1, sheep2 and mice3 suggests that the kisspeptin cells of the arcuate nucleus generate the signal that causes the pulsatile secretion of GnRH. This effect may be due to action of kisspeptin on GnRH terminals in the median eminence3,4. We conducted studies on sheep to test the hypothesis that kisspeptin cells of the arcuate nucleus (ARC) and/or the glutamate cells of the hypothalamus pulses of GnRH secret...