Endocrine Abstracts

Thyroid nodule is a potential thyroid cancer and hence prompt assessment of all cases is mandatory. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a simple and reliable test in the management of thyroid nodule.This is a prospective audit of all new patients with thyroid nodules referred to our endocrine unit in the period between November 2000 to March 2002. 64 patients were identified, 57(89%) of which were females. The mean average age was 49. Thyroid function test w...

Background: The cost of liothyronine (T3) has significantly increased, possibly affecting prescription practices.Methods: An online questionnaire was designed to assess current T3 use by UK endocrinologists and to determine whether the price increase resulted in a change in primary care prescription practices. Consultant grade members of the Society for Endocrinology Thyroid Network were invited to partake.Results: Re...

Background: The cost of liothyronine (T3) has significantly increased, possibly affecting prescription practices.Methods: An online questionnaire was designed to assess current T3 use by UK endocrinologists and to determine whether the price increase resulted in a change in primary care prescription practices. Consultant grade members of the Society for Endocrinology Thyroid Network were invited to partake.Results: Re...

Monitoring patients with thyroid cancer for recurrent disease relies heavily on measuring serum thyroglobulin (Tg). Tg cannot be assessed reliably in the presence of anti-thyroglobulin antibodies for analytical reasons, this being the case in about a third of patients. There has been recent interest in microRNA profiling of fine needle aspiration biopsies of thyroid nodules, with encouraging results. The objective of this pilot was to explore microRNAs in peripheral blood of p...

Introduction: The familial risks of carcinoids are not clear. There has never been a report of gastrointestinal carcinoid coexisting with horseshoe kidney.Case presentation: We present the case of a 15 mm well differentiated metastatic small bowel NET with vascular and perineural invasion and three of four positive lymph nodes (Ki67: 1.9%, ENETS stage: pT4 pN1 pMX R1) in a 75-year-old British male with episodes of diarrhea and 24 h urinary 5HIAA: 48 (&#6...

Background: Radioiodine is a safe and effective treatment for Graves’ disease. Iatrogenic hypothyroidism is very common after treatment, but its onset is unpredictable. Even a short episode of hypothyroidism can result in significant morbidity and ideally should be avoided. In our centre a standard dose of radioiodine (400 MBq) is used, but for historical reasons two different protocols are used after radioiodine: Regimen A: regular clinical and biochemical monitoring and...

The use of 24 h urinary 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) concentrations to detect carcinoid patients is a well established procedure while random urinary 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid/creatinine ratio (5-HIAA/cr) may also offer a simpler approach in the diagnosis of carcinoid tumours. However, there is uncertainty regarding the ability of these tests to offer a prognostic indicator for patients.We retrospectively reviewed the initial paired urinary 5-HIAA/...

Although 24 h urinary 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) concentration is a well established test for the detection and monitoring of carcinoid tumours, compliance, adequacy of collection and the influence of dietary sources of serotonin are problems associated with this approach. Recently, a random urinary 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid creatinine ratio (R/5-HIAA/cr) test has become available which can be used in outpatient departments, however its correlation to 24 h 5-HIAA (24/5...

IntroductionMilk-Alkali Syndrome is defined by the triad of hypercalcaemia, acute renal failure and metabolic alkalosis. It was first described by Sippy in 1915 after people were treated with the Sippy regimen for peptic ulcer disease.Case reportA 76 year old woman was referred to the Endocrinology Clinic after she was initially presented to the Gastroenterolgy team with altered bowel habits, hypercalcaemia (...

High dose steroids are effective in treating active thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO), however the side effects are considerable. This study aimed to establish whether long term response to intravenous methylprednisolone can be predicted by a detailed ophthalmological assessment 1 to 2 weeks after the first dose of steroid.45 patients with moderate to severe, active TAO (including 31 with optic neuropathy), treated with intravenous methylprednisolo...