Endocrine Abstracts

There is evidence that an unbalanced maternal diet, combining a high ratio of protein to carbohydrate with low intakes of folate and green vegetables imposes a metabolic stress on the mother and fetus leading to fetal growth retardation. Because recent studies have shown that high protein maternal diets are associated with raised offspring blood pressure, we have assessed whether this form of unbalanced maternal nutrition is also associated with glucose intolerance.<p clas...

IntroductionThe association between Type 2 diabetes and decreased quality of life (QoL) scores has been well documented. Insulin resistance (IR) is a key factor in the pathogenesis of both cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. In this study we assess the impact of increasing IR on QoL scores in patients yet to develop or with previously unknown diabetes diagnosed at screening review, and consider the effect of IHD as a potential confounder of these...

IntroductionThe association between Type 2 diabetes and decreased quality of life (QoL) scores has been well documented. Insulin resistance (IR) is a key factor in the pathogenesis of both cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes. In this study we assess the impact of increasing IR on QoL scores in patients yet to develop or with previously unknown diabetes diagnosed at screening review, and consider the effect of IHD as a potential confounder of these...

IGFBP-5 is an important member of the IGF axis in the rodent mammary gland and can function by sequestering IGF-I (insulin-like growth factor-I) - a polypeptide growth factor involved in the growth and differentiation of the mammary gland. Removal of free IGF-I results in inhibition of IGF-I signalling through the cell surface Type-I IGF receptor, and since IGFBP-5 is highly up regulated during mammary gland involution in vivo, it is thought to have a pro-apoptotic role...

Pituitary hormone abnormalities have been reported in up to 50% of survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI), tested several months or longer after the event. No information is available on the frequency of hypopituitarism in the immediate post-TBI period.We studied 50 consecutive patients who were admitted to the neurosurgical unit with severe or moderate TBI [initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score 3-13]. Testing was performed at a median of 12 days pos...

Increased activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in men of low birthweight may be an important link between early life events and adult metabolic syndrome. In animal models females are more sensitive to HPA axis programming by manipulations in utero, but whether gender influences susceptibility in humans is unknown.We studied 106 women aged 67-78 y, from Hertfordshire UK, in whom birthweight was recorded. None had pituitary or adrenal disease or were rec...

Leptin is a crucial hormone in the regulation of body weight. It is produced by adipose tissue and acts centrally decreasing appetite and increasing energy expenditure. Leptin has been shown to stimulate sympathetic nervous system activity in vitro although the physiological relevance of this remains unclear. Increased sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity has been implicated in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and a greatly increased cardiovascular risk. We have the...

Sclerotic bone lesions are a rare cause of hypocalcaemia. Calcium and vitamin D malabsorption are recognised complications of gastric bypass surgery. We describe the case of a 45 year-old woman with severe persistent symptomatic hypocalcaemia secondary to metastatic breast cancer, complicated by a previous Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, and the development of hypoparathyroidism. Her corrected calcium levels fell repeatedly and precipitously despite treatment with up to 8g/day oral ...

Background: Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (GEP-NETs) are a relatively rare group of tumors. Traditionally, management of unresectable GEP-NETs was performed by in-person assessment at specialized regional cancer centers. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an unprecedent shift towards virtual care. The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of virtual care for GEP-NETs after the COVID-19 pandemic at a high-volume academic cancer center. Me...

Background: Endoscopic trans-sphenoidal surgery is a technical advance for treatment of pituitary tumours. We present the outcomes of patients with Acromegaly or Cushing’s disease undergoing selective pituitary adenomectomy in a regional neurosurgical centre.Methods: Retrospective cohort study August 2010-August 2017. Imaging, histology and pituitary hormone assessments were collated pre and post-operatively to...