Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction/Aim: Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is a cause of severe hypoglycaemia in infancy. Treatment of diazoxide unresponsive patients includes the use of somatostatin analogues (octreotide given either as four s.c. injections daily or via a pump). We aimed to evaluate the use of a long acting somatostatin analogue (Lanreotide) in children with CHI, switching them from daily oral diazoxide or s.c. Octreotide injections to 4 weekly Lanreotide injections.<p class="ab...

Introduction: Hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycemia (HH) represents the most common cause of hyperinsulinism in neonates, often termed as congenital hyperinsulinism of infancy (CHI). CHI is characterised by inappropriate raised insulin secretion from the pancreatic β-cells in relation to blood glucose concentration. Insulin suppresses NEFA and BOHB production. Neurological damage is a known risk associated with hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia (HH).Aim: To ...

Long-lasting and/or delayed reproductive effects of developmental exposure to mixtures of environmental chemicals were investigated in rats. Wistar rats were exposed to mixtures of estrogenic or anti-androgenic endocrine disrupters in pregnancy and lactation, and effects in offspring at 12–18 months of age were studied. The mixture included 13 estrogenic and anti-androgenic chemicals, including phthalates, pesticides, u.v.-filters, bisphenol A, butylparaben and paracetamo...

Introduction: Hyponatremia (serum sodium ≤135 mmol/l), the most common electrolyte disorder encountered, has been associated with increased mortality in patients with particularly cancer, heart failure, chronic kidney and liver disease. However, evidence of the clinical implications in broader populations is scarce, and uncertain due to confounding from preexisting disease. We aimed to examine the association between admission-hyponatremia and 30-day mortality in acute n...

Familial glucocorticoid deficiency (FGD, OMIM#202200) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterised by adrenal resistance to the action of ACTH, with isolated glucocorticoid deficiency. Recently, mutations in NNT, encoding the mitochondrial anti-oxidant nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase have been reported to cause FGD.Our index case, from a highly consanguineous Kashmiri family, was diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency during a sep...

Peripheral insulin resistance is a major defect associated with glucose intolerance and type two diabetes. Yet the mechanism(s) responsible for this defect remain to be determined. Inositol pyrophosphate (IP7) is formed via the enzyme IP6K1 from IP6. The inhibition of Akt, and the potential decrease in insulin signalling, through the binding of IP7 to the Akt PH domain represents an exciting research area.Firstly, we will characterise this mechanism in h...

The CYP11B1 and CYP11B2 genes encode the enzymes responsible, respectively, for the terminal stages of cortisol and aldosterone biosynthesis, and have been implicated in the development of essential hypertension. Previously, we investigated the role of microRNAs in the regulation of these genes and showed in vitro that levels of the adrenally-expressed microRNA-24 (miR-24) inversely correlate with those of CYP11B1 and CYP11B2 mRNA, ...

GH stimulates the growth of skeletal muscle and connective tissue and increases the rate of protein synthesis. Somatotropin (artificial GH) has been commercially available since 1985 and is most commonly used for the treatment of Isolated GH Deficiency, idiopathic short stature, Turner syndrome, Prader–Willi syndrome, chronic renal insufficiency, and ‘small for gestational age’. GH deficiency has a growing prevalence, affecting 20/million children in the UK. Our...

Background: Male hypogonadism is associated with reduction in bone mineral density (BMD). This study aimed to determine the epidemiology of low BMD in a clinic-based cohort of hypogonadal men.Methods: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional observational study of 152 patients (≥18 years with testosterone(T) ≤11 nmol/L) who were consequently reviewed in an endocrine clinic. Data was extracted from electronic patient records and included base...

Salt-sensitive hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity. Humans and mice with glucocorticoid receptor haploinsufficiency (GR+/−) are hypertensive, which in mice reflects activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Furthermore, glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene polymorphisms associate with increased cardiovascular disease risk. Here we investigated the effect of dietary salt intake on blood pressure, heart and kidney in GR+/− mice...