Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Cardiac failure is an infrequently reported complication of Addison’s disease which is unique in its reversibility. We report a rare case of heart failure as the initial presentation of Addison’s disease.Case Summary: A 39-year-old gentleman presented with classical features of heart failure and hypotension. His Echocardiogram showed moderately impaired left ventricular function. Addison’s disease was suspected due to hyponatre...

The molecular mechanism of circadian clocks in mammals is generated by a set of genes forming a transcriptional autoregulatory feedback loop. The ‘core clock genes’ include: Clock, Bmal1, Per1, Per2, Cry1 and Cry2. The discovery of ‘clock genes’ led to the realization that circadian gene expression is widespread throughout the body and that the clock is cell autonomous. The cellular autonomy of circadian clocks has raised a number of quest...

In 2013, a panel of international experts in hyponatremia published our recommendations for clinicians caring for patients with hyponatremia (‘Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Hyponatremia: Expert Panel Recommendations’). In 2014, a similar working group of experts from EU countries published their recommendations (‘Clinical Practice Guideline on Diagnosis and Treatment of Hyponatraemia’). Despite reviewing the same evidence databases, these two grou...

Growth hormone (GH) is the primary regulator of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) production in a wide variety of tissues. After secretion by the pituitary GH, GH is transported to the liver and stimulates IGF-I production in the liver. The IGF-I produced in the liver accounts for most of the IGF-I in the circulation. The circulating IGF-I will have effects on extra hepatic tissues as the heart, lung, muscles and kidney. Circulating IGF-I feeds back at the level of the pitu...

Aim: To assess the utility of early detection of diabetic peripheral neuropathy using Vibration perception threshold (VPT) via digital Biothesiometer and correlation with patient reported symptoms. Type of study: Audit of peripheral neuropathy assessment in all diabetes patients Standard: NICE guideline on Diabetic foot problems (NG 19- Updated October 2019)Methods: The NICE guidelines recommend neuropathy assessment on all patients with Type 2 Diabetes....

One of the major risk factors for type 2 diabetes is Obesity (accounts for 80-85% of overall risk of developing type 2 diabetes). The UK is currently amid an obesity epidemic and it is recommended that the UK population reduce their daily calorie intake. As people are surrounded by food, it was acknowledged that this can be challenging to achieve on a long-term basis. This pilot study aimed to identify common social cues that encourage people to in...

One of the major risk factors for type 2 diabetes is Obesity (accounts for 80-85% of overall risk of developing type 2 diabetes). The UK is currently amid an obesity epidemic and it is recommended that the UK population reduce their daily calorie intake. As people are surrounded by food, it was acknowledged that this can be challenging to achieve on a long-term basis. This pilot study aimed to identify common social cues that encourage people to in...

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in the world with the leading position as a cause of oncological fatality. The immunotherapy is applied as the second line of chemotherapy, and seems a breakthrough therapy, promising a better quality of life to patients in the late stages of cancer. Pembrolizumab (also, known as MK-3475 or Keyruda) is a humanised antibody PD-1 receptor or antibody to programmed death ligand one. Side effects considered as acceptable and mostly pres...

Pancreatic Neuroendocrine tumours, P-NETs, comprise 2–3% of all pancreatic tumours. Usually classified as functional or non-functional based on whether these secrete biologically active amines, causing specific syndromes or not. Even non-functional P-NETs in majority of cases secrete substances, not associated with any specific syndrome, like Chromogranin A and Chromogranin B and Pancreatic Polypeptide (PP). An estimated 2% of all the neuroendocrine tumours secrete Pancre...

Macroprolactin is a bio-inactive molecule which cross-reacts in prolactin immune-assays. ‘Macroprolactinaemia’ describes hyperprolactinaemia which is entirely explained by the presence of macroprolactin. Failure to recognize macroprolactinaemia is associated with inappropriate investigation and unnecessary treatment. While screening for macroprolactinaemia is regularly undertaken in the UK and Ireland and to a lesser extent in continental European and Japan, this is ...