Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a cause of hypopituitarism. Previous reports suggest complete or partial pituitary dysfunction in up to 40% of subjects.Aim: To investigate the presence of anterior pituitary hormone deficits in TBI patients tested at least 3 months after the injury.Patients and methods: The patients were recruited from those who have been assessed by the local Rehabilitation Centre over the last 5 years....

Oestrogens are essential regulators of fertility in women. They induce changes in uterine cell function by binding to oestrogen receptors (ERs) two of which (ERα and ERß) have been identified. ERα and ERß share significant sequence homology with three other steroid receptor superfamily members that are known as oestrogen related receptors alpha (ERRα), beta (ERRß) and gamma (ERRγ). ERRs bind as monomers to the sequence TNAAGGTCA and as dimers...

Background: Cortisol profiles during treatment with standard hydrocortisone (StdHC) formulations are unphysiological. Some patients, with low cortisol levels between doses, experience symptomatic hypocortisolaemia and may benefit from modified release hydrocortisone (MRHC). Plenadren is a MRHC licensed for once daily dosing in adults.We offered Plenadren to patients with symptomatic hypocortisolaemia, documented to occur at times of low cortisol levels, ...

Aim: To review trends in bisphosphonate use in children with secondary osteoporosis attending a Tertiary Paediatric Endocrine Unit (2004–July 2015).Methods: Data were gathered from a combination of a clinical and pharmacy database. Results reported as median (range).Results: A total of 42 children (19M) commenced on bisphosphonates treatment over the 11-year period, median age 11.8 years (3.3–18.4). 19 were on pamidronate...

Introduction: NICE NG18 recommends level 3 carbohydrate counting from diagnosis for CYP diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. Our unit introduced in-patient level 3 carb counting from day 1 in 2015 in response to an audit demonstrating sub-optimal control in the first year of treatment.Methods: We carried out a longitudinal study of HbA1c in paediatric patients during the first year of diagnosis in two time periods, before and after the introduction of carb co...

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) is an important growth factor, simulating the process of angiogenesis which is required for tumour progression. It mainly acts through 2 receptors VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2. Whilst the presence of VEGF has been shown in pituitary adenomas, no study has undertaken the quantification of the expression of VEGF121, VEGF165, VEGF-R1 and VEGF-R2, and whether their expression may correlate.METHODS. We have used the technique of quantitative RT-...

Background: Islet transplant into the liver is a therapy for type 1 diabetes patients experiencing severe hypoglycaemia or impaired hypoglycaemic awareness. Widespread use is not currently considered due to the requirement for immunosuppression for the lifetime of the graft, and the attrition in graft function over the following 1-5 years. Following transplant into the liver, inflammation results in >60% islet loss, with few patients achieving insulin independence. The liv...