Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Prolactinomas are usually highly sensitive to dopamine agonists. We report the use of temozolomide in a 47-year-old gentleman with MEN 1 and a highly dopamine agonist-resistant, and aggressive prolactinoma.Case summary: He presented in 2001 with a 3rd nerve palsy and recurrent headaches. MRI revealed a pituitary tumour extending into the left cavernous sinus. Prolactin levels were 29 000 mU/l. (NR<360). Primary hyperparathyroidism, a lesi...

Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma (MTC) can be associated with Hirschsprung’s disease (HSCR). Mutations in exon 10 of the RET proto-oncogene were found in patients with co-occurrence of HSCR and MTC. The aim of the study was to screen the MTC risk exons in patients with HSCR. The genetic analysis comprised 73 HSCR patients (53 males, 20 females) who were operated on and followed-up during 2001-2006. The cohort consisted of 48 patients with classical HSCR, 11 with long colonic a...

Hyperthyroidism in pregnancy is associated with increased foetal and maternal morbidity. Hyperthyroidism occurs in 0.2–0.6% of pregnancies. This suggests that based on 23,000 deliveries in the 3 major Dublin maternity hospitals that 40–60 cases per year would be expected to be at risk of a poor outcome from hyperthyroidism.To clarify those factors associated with poor outcome in hyperthyroidism in pregnancy we undertook an audit of 53 cases of ...

Uterine involution is a critical component of postpartum reproduction, which involves endometrial tissue repair, myometrial contraction and bacterial clearance. The uterus synthesises insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I and –II), IGF-I receptor (IGF-1R), and IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs -1 to -6) that regulate IGF bioavailability. This study used tissue from 12 multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows at day 14 postpartum to investigate expression of the uterine IGF system durin...

Expressions of KISS-1 and GPR54 have been demonstrated in a variety of tissues, including pituitary. Given their role in reproduction and in gonadotrophin secretion, we examined the regulation of their expression by steroids and GnRH in the rat pituitary using real-time PCR procedure.After ovariectomy (OVX), pituitary KISS-1 mRNA levels dramatically decrease whereas GPR54 transcripts slightly increase compared with intact cycl...

Introduction: Despite its high vascularity, metastases to the thyroid is rare. The frequency of metastasis in routine practice is less than 0.2% of thyroid malignancies.Clinical case: An ambulatory 48-year-old male presented with a two-month history of enlarging anterior neck mass that moves with deglutition, slowly growing in size, associated with hoarseness later in the course of the disease. He had no pertinent past medical history. Fine needle aspira...

Obesity, a complex metabolic disorder characterised by excessive adipose tissue accumulation, is associated with numerous health complications. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying obesity, focusing on the role of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1α). Our findings establish a novel link between HIF1α and the pathogenesis of obesity-related conditions. We uncovered a connection between HIF1α and diabetic neuropathy, a prevalent ...

Background: At the Metabolic Bone Centre in Sheffield, UK, patients with asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) are followed up annually through a register, with annual blood tests, questionnaires inquiring about symptoms or renal stones within the past year, and biennial DXA scans, which doctors then evaluate. Patients are recalled to the clinic if their reported symptoms and/or biochemical results suggest abnormalities associated with PHPT requiring...

Background: Glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) has been shown to improve body weight and glycaemic control in patients with common obesity and type 2 diabetes. Whether it confers the same metabolic benefits in monogenic syndromic obesity is unknown. This observational study aimed to examine the real-world efficacy of GLP-1 analogues in Alström syndrome (ALMS), a form of monogenic obesity.Method: We screened all 72 UK a...

Introduction: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a haematological disorder characterised by an aberrant rise in monoclonal paraprotein. Intrasellar plasmacytomas can be infrequent MM manifestations. They are challenging to diagnose and frequently mimic pituitary adenomas; however rarely present with pituitary apoplexy. We describe a patient with pituitary apoplexy-like symptoms, subsequently diagnosed with MM, whose intrasellar mass entirely resolved after chemotherapy....