Endocrine Abstracts

AbstractThe diagnosis of osteomyelitis in diabetes mellitus remains a challenge. This study was conducted to evaluate the infection scintigraphy with instantly prepared single vial kit, radio-labelled ciprofloxacin (Diagnobact TM), as a mean to detect bone infection; in comparison with bacterial culture as gold standard. Written consent was taken from all patients including approval from institute ethics committee. Twenty-five patients with diabetic foot...

IntroductionKallmann syndrome (isolated hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism and anosmia), is caused by loss of KAL-1 function in the developing human olfactory system. Gene function is also conserved in eukaryotes, including nematodes, chick and rodents. However, the precise role of kal-1 in the developing nervous system is unclear. D.melanogaster an ideal model to study kal-1 function, as many molecular aspects of olfactory development are shared with mammal...

Plasma and urine 18-hydroxycortisol ('18-OHF') measurements are helpful to discriminate primary hyperaldosteronism (Conn's syndrome) caused by adrenal hyperplasia (normal 18-OHF) from adrenal adenoma or glucocorticoid suppressible hyperaldosteronism ( raised 18-OHF). We have developed DELFIA time-resolved fluorescence assays for 18-OHF as a second-line biochemical investigation for patients with raised plasma aldosterone/ renin ratios. Following ether extraction, test samples ...

In laboratories employing 'front-line' sensitive TSH measurement, it is generally accepted that fully suppressed TSH levels (3rd generation assays) alongside normal free thyroid hormone levels indicate subclinical hyperthyroidism. However, low but not suppressed levels are often labelled as non-thyroidal illness.We investigated 25 successive ambulant individuals, identified over an 18 month period as having low but not fully suppressed TSH levels (3rd ge...

Neuroendocrine tumors (NET) comprise a wide variety of neoplasms that have certain characteristics in common. However, they are defined not by site but by molecular characteristics. The most common forms arise in the gastrointestinal tract, but there are NET which are not directly related to this site, such as medullary cell carcinoma or small-cell lung cancer. Different secretory syndromes have also resulted in certain subtypes receiving names as carcinoid if they produce ser...

Background: No predictive biomarkers for NFPT recurrence have been identified, apart from Ki67. We employed high-throughput mass spectrometry-based analyses to examine the phosphorylation pattern of different subsets of NFPTs. Methods: Based on histopathological, radiological and surgical features, NFPTs were sub-grouped into three groups: non-invasive (n = 15), invasive (n = 10) and recurrent (n = 5) subtypes. Invasiveness was...

Objective: Motilin is a proximal small intestinal hormone with roles in gastrointestinal motility, gallbladder emptying and hunger initiation. The molecular mechanisms underlying motilin release in response to fats, bile and duodenal acidification are poorly understood, in part due a lack of suitable cellular and rodent models. We therefore generated a novel human intestinal organoid model with fluorescently labelled motilin-expressing M-cells, which we used to establish the k...

Background: Inappropriately high aldosterone in patients with primary hyperaldosteronism (PHA) is due to increased aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) activity. Selective in vivo imaging of overexpressed CYP11B2 in adrenals with positron emission tomography (PET) has not yet been achieved due to close homology of enzymes involved in aldosterone and cortisol (CYP11B1) synthesis.Aim: Synthesize a fluorine-18 labelled highly selective CYP11B2 inhibitor,...

Background: Short Synacthen Tests (SSTs) are integral to the diagnosis of Adrenal Insufficiency (AI). A 30-minute stimulated cortisol value is assessed against local assay dependent thresholds to ascertain or exclude the diagnosis. A diagnosis of AI is a life changing event requiring the initiation of life long glucocorticoid replacement therapy for survival. Glucocorticoid replacement is associated with long term morbidity and mortality, including an increased risk of diabete...

Comprehensive multi-steroid profiling offers a powerful tool for the investigation, diagnosis and management of steroidogenic disorders by simultaneously quantifying multiple steroids from several pathways of steroid biosynthesis and metabolism. Difficulties can arise when optimising chromatography and mass spectrometry conditions for many analytes in a single method. Low concentrations of ammonium fluoride have previously been shown to enhance the sensitivity of select analyt...