Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Diabetes striatopathy (DS) is an extremely rare hyperglycaemic complication of diabetes with a prevalence reported as 1 in 100,0001. Though DS is commonly associated with a non-ketotic hyperglycaemic hyperosmolar state (HHS), it is occasionally reported in diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). DS is known as non-ketotic hemichorea-hemiballismus due to its presentation with hyperkinetic movements but rarely presents as stroke-mimic2. Here we present a...

Acromegalic patients have increased morbidity and mortality, which correlate with post-treatment growth hormone (GH) level. Target post-treatment plasma GH level should be less than 2.5 nanograms per millilitre, which predicts normal life expectancy.We evaluated the prevalence of complications and treatment outcome in 76 acromegalic subjects who attended our unit for surgery between 1978-2002. 60 patients are followed up in a specialised pituitary clinic in Beaumont Hospit...

Introduction: Sestamibi (SM) and ultrasound (US) are routinely used for preoperative localisation of abnormal parathyroids in patients with hyperparathyroidism. Minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP) is recommended if localisation is concordant, otherwise neck exploration is the method of choice.Aim: To assess whether introduction of intraoperative parathormone (IOPTH) monitoring allows us to perform MIP successfully in patients with non concordant f...

Background: In acromegalic patients, quality of life reduction and neuropsychological impairment are common, in addition to well-known complications related to the pituitary adenoma and to the GH/IGF-I excess. Acromegalic patients need a lot of outpatient visits and a multidisciplinary approach during the management of the disease and its comorbidities. Aim of the project is to analyze the role of an electronic health device (eHD) with remote monitoring in management of acrome...

At high latitudes over-wintering personnel are deprived of natural sunlight in winter: light of sufficient intensity and suitable spectral composition is the main factor which maintains a 24 h period in human circadian rhythms. Numerous reports of sleep problems from Polar regions prompted investigations of the underlying mechanisms. At Halley (British Antarctic Survey Base, 750S) the sun does not rise for 3 months in winter and a delay of the melatonin rhythm is observed. Thi...

Introduction: Various methods to quantify calcified coronary plaque have been used in common clinical practice in the past few decades to compliment cardiovascular risk assessment. The estimation of calcium load in other organs and conditions has been at best semi-quantitative. Patients with long-standing hypoparathyroidism are known to suffer with nephrocalcinosis and basal ganglia calcification. We attempted to quantify end-organ calcium burden in a series of patients with v...

Background: Adipose tissue blood flow (ATBF) is important for delivering nutrients and oxygen to adipose tissue (AT), and distributing adipokines and metabolites into the circulation. ATBF has been measured with the 133Xenon wash-out technique (gold standard), microdialysis, laser Doppler Fluximetry, and contrast-enhanced ultrasound. However, due to decline in world-wide 133Xenon production and the invasive nature of other techniques, an alternative metho...

Introduction: Previous studies demonstrated a relationship between T1- and T2-weighted signal intensity and tumor growth pattern in pituitary somatotropinomas. The goal of this retrospective study was to analyze the MRI characteristics of pituitary macroadenomas with different hormonal activity in newly diagnosed patients.Material and methods: Pre-treatment T1- and T2-weighted MR-images (Intera Achieva, PHILIPS, 3.0T) of patients with 42 non-functional a...

Introduction: Patients with Cushing’s syndrome might present a variety of brain alterations. There is however little evidence from MRI studies demonstrating atrophy of either frontal or medial temporal brain regions.Aims: To study cortical alterations (decreased cortical thickness) on MRI in patients with Cushing’s syndrome (CS), as compared to controls (C), and long-standing major depressive disorder (MDD).Material and m...

Light of sufficient intensity and suitable spectral composition is the main factor which maintains a 24 h period in human circadian rhythms. At the British Antarctic Survey base of Halley (75 °S) the sun does not rise for 3 months in winter and does not set for 3 months in summer. In this isolated environment most subjects remain synchronised to the 24 h day however the melatonin rhythm and sleep are delayed in winter compared to summer. Summer timing can be restored with...