Endocrine Abstracts

Non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFA) are associated with significant morbidity. Published data on the quality of life (QoL) of NFA patients are scarce and conflicting: some studies indicate a reduced QoL in patients with adequately treated NFAs while others demonstrate that subjective health-related QoL is not compromised to any major extent compared to the general population. Most published studies indicate specific subgroups of patients which are particularly affected, w...

Somatotroph adenomas causing acromegaly are histologically classified into densely and sparsely granulated subtypes and an intermediate, mixed type. Although the different subtypes are not currently taken into account when making decisions about the management of acromegaly, there is growing evidence that the subtypes represent clinically different entities.In a cohort (n=52) of somatostatin-naïve patients with acromegaly, sparsely granulat...

Craniopharyngiomas are tumours which grow in the region of the sella, with adamantinomatous (ACP) and papillary (PCP) subtypes. While usually ‘benign’, They can have devastating long term sequelae, both from the mass effects of the tumour itself on the visual, pituitary or hypothalamic pathways, but also from the neurosurgical challenge to achieve tumour control with preservation of the surrounding pituitary and hypothalamic pathways. To date there is no satisfactory...

Data on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with non-functioning pituitary adenoma (NFA) are sparse and conflicting. We have therefore evaluated the QoL in patients with NFAs followed-up in a tertiary UK referral centre and explored the impact of various factors. Three validated questionnaires (Short Form 36-SF36, Nottingham Health Profile-NHP and European Quality of Life Scale-EuroQoL) were offered to consecutive NFA subjects attending outpatient clinics over a 6-month peri...

Cushing’s disease (CD) is a rare condition, associated with significant morbidities.The long-term morbidities in a series of patients with CD who presented in two tertiary referral centres between 01/1967-06/2009 were assessed. All information was collected as documented in the records of the patients.224 patients were identified (174 females) with median age at diagnosis 39 years (range 10–76 (females 38 (12–72) &#1...

Background: Recently, germline mutations in the aryl-hydrocarbon-receptor-interacting-protein (AIP) gene have been found to occur in familial and sometimes in early onset sporadic somatotroph adenomas. These tumours tend to respond less well to somatostatin analogues (SSA). It has been shown previously that AIP can upregulate the transcription factor Zac1 in liver cells, and we were able to also demonstrate this in pituitary cells. On the other hand, Zac1 is upregulated in res...

Background: Rathke’s cleft cysts (RCC) are benign, cystic lesions arising from remnants of Rathke’s pouch and reported in 13–22% of normal autopsies. Their prognosis after surgical intervention is not clearly defined.Aim: To analyse the outcome of patients who presented to our Department with RCC between 1/1977-3/2009.Patients and methods: Thirty-three cases were identified [13 males/20 females, median age at diagnos...

Background: Pituitary apoplexy has been reported in around 2% of surgically treated adenomas. Around 45% of all pituitary tumours presenting with apoplexy are non-functioning ones (NFAs). Currently, no data exist on recurrence rates in patients with NFAs who have had classical apoplexy.Aim: We therefore, put together our data aiming to provide the first reliable series on recurrence rates in patients with NFA and classical pituitary apoplexy.<p class...

Background: Non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFAs) are slow growing tumours with reported 5-year recurrence rates following resection up to 51%. The time point that it is safe to stop surveillance imaging is not clearly defined.Aim: To clarify the time spectrum of recurrence in patients with NFAs offered solely surgery as primary treatment and to estimate the safe time to stop surveillance pituitary imaging.Methods: Case-note an...

Background: Recently mutations in the aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein (AIP) gene have been found to occur in familial and sporadic somatotroph adenomas. These tumours tend to respond less well to somatostatin analogues, are diagnosed at an earlier age and behave more aggressively. AIP is expressed in sporadic somatotroph adenomas (Leontiou, JCEM, 2008).Aim: To evaluate the change in AIP immunostaining in sporadic acromegaly patients treated...