Endocrine Abstracts

Prolactin (PRL) is a peptide hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland and it is commonly known for its lactogenic and mammotrophic effects. In humans and primates, prolactin is also expressed in extra-pituitary sites where it is associated with numerous biological functions, but its spectrum of expression varies in different species.Hyperprolactinemia-induced osteoporosis is believed to be mediated by hypogonadism, but the expression of the prola...

Background: Fractures are reported in 1/3 of children who have been abused. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) recommends that assessment of fractures where there is suspicion of physical abuse should include bone biochemistry: calcium (Ca), phosphate (Ph), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), parathyroid hormone (PTH) and Vitamin D (VitD).Objectives: To describe the pattern of bone biochemistry in children with fractures when non-accidenta...

Neonatal salt wasting can present in neonates with a life-threatening state of hyponatraemia, hyperkalaemia, dehydration and metabolic acidosis. The differential diagnosis of neonatal salt wasting includes congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) most commonly due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency, pseudohypoaldosteronism (PHA), X-linked adrenal hypoplasia congenital (AHC) and aldosterone synthase defects. Diagnostic work up should include serum measurement of ACTH, Cortisol, 17OH-prog...

A 13 year old female presented with a two day history of abdominal pain and vomiting which responded to analgesia. Pelvic ultrasound showed complex ovarian cysts and a pre-pubertal uterus. Initial blood tests were consistent with hypergonadotrophic hypogonadism (LH 31.5 U/l, FSH 14.3 U/l and oestradiol <70 pmol/l) and karyotype was 46 XX. Bone age was slightly delayed (measured 12.4 years, chronological age 13.7 years). On referral to paediatric endocrinology, the patient ...

Vascular disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in people who have diabetes. Hyperglycaemia is associated with increased transcriptional activity of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) in the vasculature. NFAT activation enhances expression of pro-inflammatory mediators including osteopontin, COX2 and IL6, implicated in the development of vascular disease. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of NFAT inhibition on the progression of microvascul...

Obesity and the metabolic syndrome are chronic inflammatory states that are now understood to be involved in the development type 2 Diabetes. Hypothalamic cytokine signalling is thought to influence neuroendocrine networks critical to the dynamic maintenance of glucose homeostasis. Interleukin 6 (IL6) is a cytokine that displays tissue-specificity and is instrumental in the mounting of the acute phase response, as well as in the subsequent resolving and adaptive phase. IL6 is ...

Introduction: Bisphosphonate therapy (BPT) reduces osteoclast activity and may be associated with adynamic bone turnover. The extent of suppression of bone turnover and its determinants are unclear.Methods: Markers of bone metabolism were evaluated in 15 children (9M/6F) receiving cyclical BPT intravenously for osteoporosis. The median age at first biochemical assessment was 10.8 years (0.16, 16.3). Serum type I collagen cross-linked C-telopeptide (CTX),...

Background: There are limited data in paediatric population on the association between vitamin D deficiency/treatment and glucose/insulin metabolism.Objective and hypotheses: This study aimed to investigate the effect of vitamin D therapy on glucose homeostasis, insulin resistance and bone turnover, in children with vitamin D deficiency.Method: 22 children aged 3 months to 10 years (nine males) who were diagnosed with vitamin D def...

Introduction: In children undergoing investigation of testicular function the relationship between serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and the testosterone response to hCG stimulation test (HST) is unclear.Methods: 71 children (three females and 68 males) with a median age of 1.08 years (range: 0.003, 14.3) were investigated for suspected DSD by AMH on D1 and testosterone on D1 and D4, before and after 3-day HST. Of these children, 27 had an addition...

Introduction: The incidence of adrenal insufficiency in cases of unexplained death in young children is unclear. It is also unclear whether there is a relationship between adrenal size and plasma cortisol concentration.Methods: All post-mortem (PM) reports of sudden deaths in children in the West of Scotland between 2010 and 2012 were retrospectively analysed. Combined adrenal weight (g) was recorded and expressed as the percentage of total body weight (...