Endocrine Abstracts

5α-Reductase (5αR) inhibitors decrease prostatic dihydrotestosterone in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) treatment; finasteride inhibits 5αR type 2, while dutasteride inhibits 5αR1 and 2. 5αRs, especially 5αR1, are also expressed in metabolic tissues regulating actions of androgens and other substrates, including glucocorticoids.Hypothesis: 5αR1 inhibition with dutasteride induces metabolic dyshomeostasis.<p class...

Aim: To compare inpatient length of stay (LOS) and mortality of diabetic and non-diabetic patients aged ≧65 years admitted in a single UK hospital with fractured proximal femur.Methods: Patients with a fractured proximal femur at University Hospital of Birmingham (2007–2010) were identified from administrative data with ICD 10 discharge diagnostic codes S720, S721 and S722 as the primary diagnosis. A discharge diagnostic code for diabetes or ...

Introduction: Unexplained or a cluster of non diabetic hypoglycaemia has at times been the only clue to malicious use of Insulin in hospitals. We wished to establish the incidence of hypoglycaemia in non-diabetic adult patients outside the intensive care unit (ICU) in a 1200-bed university hospital.Methods: We retrospectively analysed data for 2010 from three distinct sources to identify patients: bedside and laboratory blood glucose measurements; medica...

The HIV protease inhibitor (PI) ritonavir is used in conjunction with other antiretroviral treatments as a pharmacokinetic booster due to its potent inhibition of hepatic cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4). Co-administration of glucocorticoids metabolized by CYP3A4, with ritonavir leads to accumulation of these glucocorticoids, markedly increasing the risk of iatrogenic Cushing’s syndrome and suppression of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis. We present 11 patients receivi...

Background & Aims: Observational studies implicate glucocorticoid excess, principally due to altered steroid metabolism in target tissues, in both the insulin resistance and liver fat accumulation that accompanies type 2 diabetes. To test the contribution of glucocorticoid signalling to metabolic dysfunction we blocked cortisol secretion (with metyrapone) and action (with the GR antagonist mifepristone) simultaneously in men with type 2 diabetes ± fatty liver.<p c...

Introduction: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) has been associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction in a number of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. As the majority of cardiovascular (CV) events are thromboembolic, we evaluated blood thrombogenicity in patients a few days post acute myocardial infarction with relation to their thyroid status.Aim: To assess the relationship between thyroid function/status and thromb...

Background: Continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) is proving superior in reducing HbA1c compared to multiple daily injections (MDI) in both the adult and paediatric populations. This study aims to compare the two methods, and evaluate the importance of education when starting insulin pump therapy in children.Design: Patients who attended a ‘pump school’ provided by the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital between January 2010 and...

Dysfunctional prostanoid and oxytocin receptors have been implicated in the development of myometrial hyperactivity, causing dysmenorrhoea and infertility. The aim of the present study was to investigate the topographical differences in functional contractile PG and oxytocin receptors in mid-cycle isolated myometrium.Longitudinal, full-thickness sections of the anterior uterus were obtained from consenting pre-menopausal donors (aged 39–48 years) un...

The aim of this study was to simultaneously profile, using electrospray ionization liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (ESI-LC-MS), prostanoids (PG) produced in samples of: pregnant preterm non labouring (PTNL); term non labouring (TNL): and term labouring (TL) myometrium.Lower segment samples were obtained at Caesarean section from consenting pregnant women (18–36 years of age) at term (38–41 weeks) and preterm (33 weeks) gestation. Sample...

Obesity, particularly abdominal (visceral) obesity, is a major risk factor for development of the metabolic syndrome. Human and animal studies have shown elevated intra-adipose glucocorticoid-action in obesity and suggest that increased glucocorticoid receptor (GR) density may be an important determinant of visceral adiposity. We have tested this hypothesis in transgenic (Tg) mice in which adipose GR levels have been increased or decreased, by expression of “sense” o...