Endocrine Abstracts

Rapid diagnosis and treatment of Cushing’s syndrome (CS) is essential for good outcomes. Current standards for appropriate timelines for referral are under review by NHSE. Data are required to substantiate standard setting. Knowledge of current referral pathways/processes are required to explore delays in accessing definitive surgical treatment. An audit of referral processes at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham was undertaken and further expanded to 4 additional tertia...

Introduction: In adults, treatment of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) with daily recombinant human growth hormone (GH) injections has shown to improve many clinical features associated with GHD. Currently, many adults with GHD receive GH indefinitely, even when they fail to report any obvious benefits from this treatment. Additionally, evidence on the impact of discontinuing long-term GH therapy is limited. We conducted a survey of UK endocrine clinicians (doctors and speciali...

Aims: To assess the incidence of Ipilimumab associated hypophysitis and its common presentations.Methods: All patients who developed Ipilimumab induced hypophysitis following treatment for Malignant melanoma at a large tertiary care centre in West Midlands, United Kingdom from 2012 to 2014 were included in the study. Patients with known pituitary disease prior to treatment and/or received other systemic immunotherapy following Ipilimumab treatment were e...

Background: Many young people have inadequate follow up because they lose contact with adult care following transfer from paediatrics. There is a need to adapt communication interventions to help young people to determine and enact their preferred involvement in consultations with health professionals.Objective: To develop interventions to support communication with young people in endocrine care and to assess the feasibility of implementation in routine...

Background: Training is adolescent health and transition is lacking in medical education. Clinicians working in diabetes and endocrinology across paediatric and adult services need to have the skills to work effectively with this age group. Our aim was to identify the current state of training and to ascertain training needs in trainees.Methods: A questionnaire was developed based on existing questionnaires. Using trainee representatives all paediatric a...

Since 1994, after initial outpatient review (OPD) for thyrotoxicosis, we have minimised OPD attendance and provided shared-care advice to primary care physicians on thyroid function tests (TFT) and anti-thyroid drug (ATD) and levothyroxine (T4) dose titration using our electronic patient record (EPR). Using EPR data we analysed treatment (Rx) choice, effectiveness and outcomes, classifying patients as autoimmune (+ve TPO or other Graves’ features), nodular, mix...

Introduction: The UK has seen a steady rise in childhood obesity over the last 30 years, with nearly a third of children aged 2–15 now overweight or obese. Childhood obesity represents a significant health burden, costing the NHS many millions of pounds.Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge, perception and actions of obese patients at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital (RMCH), to guide recommendations for improving t...

Background: Obese young people are likely to suffer significant morbidity in adult life. Successful intervention during adolescence may have far-reaching benefits. Evidence is emerging that patient-responsive clinical services may deliver improved outcomes.Aims: To assess the perceptions of obese young people about weight and weight-management services.Method: Annonymised, postal questionnaire survey of 116 obese young people (9&#1...

Background: Seeing the doctor alone has been associated with a better outcome following transition to adult services.Methods: A simple questionnaire was designed for young people (YP) to enquire about being seen alone in paediatric endocrine clinics.Results: The questionnaire was administered to 72 YP young people (37 male) with long term endocrine conditions. The mean age was 15.5 (2.5). 10% of YP thought they should be offered th...

Background: Re-evaluation of the diagnosis of GHD at the completion of linear growth is a key task.Objectives: To audit the impact of consensus recommendations on diagnosis of GHD and initiation of GH therapy in adolescents previously treated for a brain tumour (BT) or haematological malignancy (HM).Population: Sixty one patients who had received GH therapy until final height following treatment for a BT (n=40) or a HM (n...