Endocrine Abstracts

During development, surges in testosterone (T) organize the bipotential anlage of the periphery into the male phenotype. The same T surges also act on the preoptic area (POA) and hypothalamus of the brain to prevent the expression of female sex behavior and promote male behavior in adulthood so that the behavioral and anatomical phenotypes match. In the rodent, T actually serves as a prohormone. Once in the brain, T is aromatized to the quintessential female hormone estradiol ...

Background: NMDAR-Ab mediated encephalitis is a neuro-immunological disorder that presents with seizures. NMDAR-Abs cause internalisation of NMDARs while Pregnenolone sulfate (PregS) a neurosteroid upregulates NMDARs in the brain. Our previous in vitro studies have shown that PregS can reduce established ictal activity caused by NMDAR-Abs (Wright et al., 2021). Before proceeding with in vivo treatment studies, we aimed to determine baseline brain PregS levels...

Continuous Glucose Monitoring and Flash Glucose Sensing are exciting new technologies popular with many patients and their parents who are keen to have access to such technologies. However such technologies are costly and it is important that clinicians identify patients who are most likely to benefit and ensure that families have appropriate training in order to optimise their use. The aims of this overview are firstly to review the evidence underpinning CGMS and to discuss t...

The skeletal dysplasias or genetic skeletal disorders (GSDs) are a heterogeneous group of over 450 conditions associated with varying degrees of disproportionate short stature. The diagnosis of these conditions has relied on a combination of clinical and radiographic assessment. The original classifications of the GSDs was based on x-ray imaging, but Spranger and others predicted that there would be ‘families’ of GSDs with the same underlying molecular basis. The adv...

This 32 year old lady was referred in 2008 with Graves Disease. She presented with typical symptoms which included tiredness, shaking, palpitations, itching, eye redness, opthalmopathy, and exopthalmos. She had lost 3 stones over 3 months at Weight watchers. The GP had commenced carbimazole but she did not know the dose. In September 2008 results showed FT4 73.6, TT3 >12.5, TSH <0.05 and +TPO antibodies – >1300. This lady declined a referral to the ophthalmolo...

New UK growth charts using the new WHO standard for children from birth to four years should now be used for all babies born in England after May 11th 2009 (October 2009 in Scotland).The WHO charts for the first time describe optimal rather than average growth, set breast feeding as the norm and are suitable for all ethnic groups. UK children fit the new charts well for length and height but will look appear relatively heavier by the age of one. This wil...

Forty-four-year-old transgender – female to male who underwent surgery for gender reassignment including hysterectomy, oophrectomy and mastectomy.He has been on testosterone replacement since 2003, initially oral, then sustanon 250 mg IM injection 2 weekly which was self-administered. He was keen on long-acting testosterone injections (Nebido) so was referred to our endocrine service, as his GP was reluctant to prescribe testosterone replacement, as...

Objectives: It is too much easier and cheaper to combat obesity, than in the future to treat diabetes mellitus and its complications.Methods: We used an online system for patient education (www.rightdiet.ru) based on the video lessons, full of humor, pictures, and cartoons to convey the necessary information on good nutrition, necessary to do exercises and the need for exposure to the sun to our patients.Results: A patient was in t...

Background: Patients attending our A+E department with hypoglycaemia have a number of samples collected including metabolic investigations, growth hormone (GH) and cortisol. Most of these children have an intercurrent illness. There is a paucity of published data examining how cortisol and GH respond to ‘physiological hypoglycaemia’.Aims: To assess if peak levels of GH and cortisol correlate with the degree of hypoglycaemia and to evaluate how ...

Case: A 21 year old gentleman presented to endocrine clinic with failure to develop secondary sexual characteristics. He had no growth since age 16, nor any change in voice, body hair or muscle or genital growth. Examination was in keeping with pubertal staging Tanner stage II. His right testicular volume was 5ml and left testicular volume 4ml. He had normal sense of smell. Investigations demonstrated low testosterone at 1.6 nmol/l (10-30). Results showed hypogonadotropic hypo...