Ian A. MacFarlane

Chronic painful peripheral neuropathy in an urban community: a controlled comparison of people with and without diabetes

Aims  A cross‐sectional study has been performed in order to estimate the prevalence, severity, and current treatment of chronic painful peripheral neuropathy (CPPN) in people with diabetes in the community.

Quality of life, body composition and muscle strength in adult growth hormone deficiency: the influence of growth hormone replacement therapy for up to 3 years

Adults with GH deficiency complain frequently of low energy levels, emotional lability and mental fatigue resulting in a low perceived quality of life (QOL). Body composition is altered with increased fat mass and decreased lean body mass and muscle strength is reduced. The aims of this study were to determine the effects of replacement GH treatment on: (a) body composition and muscle strength and (b) QOL, using specifically selected and adapted measures.

CSF rhinorrhoea following treatment with dopamine agonists for massive invasive prolactinomas

The management of CSF rhinorrhoea following dopamine agonist (DA) treatment for invasive prolactinomas is difficult and there is no clear consensus for its treatment. Our objective was therefore to investigate the different treatments for this condition.

Electrical spinal cord stimulation in the long‐term treatment of chronic painful diabetic neuropathy

Aims  Electrical spinal cord stimulation (ESCS) is a technique for the management of chronic painful diabetic neuropathy (CPDN) affecting the lower limbs. We assessed the efficacy and complication rate of ESCS implanted at least 7 years previously in eight patients.

The relationship of ghrelin to biochemical and anthropometric markers of adult growth hormone deficiency

introduction  Ghrelin is the natural ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS‐R) and potently stimulates GH release in humans. Ghrelin is found in the hypothalamus, but most circulating ghrelin is derived from the stomach. Ghrelin stimulates food intake but circulating levels are low in obesity. We hypothesized that GH deficiency (GHD) might be associated with increased circulating ghrelin concentrations as a result of low GH levels. We therefore measured circulating ghrelin concentrations, leptin and body composition in subjects with GHD and healthy controls.

Clinical presentation of thyroid dysfunction and Addison's disease in young adults with type 1 diabetes.

In a clinic population of 509 type 1 diabetic patients aged 16–45 years, 5.5% had received treatment for thyroid disorders (20 hypothyroid, three males; eight thyrotoxicosis, four males), and Addisons disease was present in four patients (0.8%, one male). In all patients, type 1 diabetes preceded the diagnosis of the other autoimmune disorder. The clinical presentation of hypothyroidism was usually insidious with few symptoms, although an increased frequency of hypoglycaemic symptoms and/or raised serum cholesterol levels often prompted thyroid function testing. In contrast, the patients with thyrotoxicosis had florid symptoms, weight loss (mean 8.12 kg), palpable goitres, increasing insulin requirements, and low cholesterol levels. Six patients did not achieve remission or had recurrent thyrotoxicosis after oral antithyroid treatment and required131I or thyroid surgery. A family history of autoimmune disease was present in 25% of patients with thyroid disorders (seven thyrotoxic and one hypothyroid) and in three of the four patients with Addisons disease. In this population of young adult type 1 diabetic patients, appropriate tests for thyroid dysfunction and Addisons disease should be carried out if there is clinical suspicion and/or unexplained changes in diabetic metabolic control or serum cholesterol. Careful follow-up of patients with a family history of these conditions is recommended.

Pituitary adenomas in childhood, adolescence and young adulthood: presentation, management, endocrine and metabolic outcomes

OBJECTIVE To elucidate the long-term outcomes of pituitary adenomas diagnosed in childhood and adolescence, knowledge of which remains sparse. DESIGN AND METHODS A retrospective review of patients aged ≤21 years at diagnosis of pituitary adenoma, attending a neuroendocrine service in Liverpool, UK, between 1984-2009. RESULTS There were 41 patients (33 female), mean age at diagnosis 17.3 years (range 11-21) and mean follow-up 9.6 years; 29 patients had prolactinomas (15 macroprolactinomas), 6 non-functioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs), 5 Cushings disease (CD) and 1 acromegaly. All prolactinoma patients received dopamine agonists (DAs) and three also underwent pituitary surgery. Furthermore, ten patients underwent surgery: five with CD, one with acromegaly and four with NFPA. Four received radiotherapy after surgery. Another ten patients received hormone replacement: nine hydrocortisone, five thyroxine, seven sex steroids and five GH; another seven had severe asymptomatic GH deficiency. Three female patients were treated for infertility (two successfully). Thirteen patients gained significant weight (body mass index (BMI) increase >2 kg/m(2)) since diagnosis and 16 in total are now obese (BMI>30 kg/m(2)). Five were treated with orlistat and one attended a weight management service. Two received antihypertensive medications, two had type 2 diabetes and four were treated for dyslipidaemia. CONCLUSIONS This is one of the largest reviews of patients aged 21 or younger at diagnosis of pituitary adenoma followed up by a single service. Two-thirds had prolactinomas, all were treated with DAs and three underwent surgery. Increased cardiovascular risk factors (obesity and dyslipidaemia) and infertility are important sequelae and active identification and treatment are necessary.

Pituitary tumours presenting in the elderly: management and outcome

In elderly patients there are few data on the efficacy and safety of pituitary surgery and radiotherapy (DXT). The aim of the present study was to assess the mode of presentation, treatment and outcome of patients >64 years with a pituitary tumour presenting to a regional neuroendocrine service.

The d3/fl-GH receptor gene polymorphism does not influence quality of life and body composition in GH-deficient adults receiving GH replacement therapy.

CONTEXT The growth response to recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in GH deficient (GHD) patients may be influenced by polymorphisms in the growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene. OBJECTIVES To investigate adults with GHD who have been treated with rhGH for more than 1 year to determine the relationship between genomic deletion of exon 3 in the GHR gene and quality of life (QoL), body composition (BC) and serum IGF1 levels, and to compare these variables to a healthy adult control population. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. METHODS A total of 100 healthy adult controls and 131 patients were studied. Deletion of exon 3 in the GHR gene was determined in DNA that was isolated from peripheral blood. QoL was determined using the adult GHD assessment scale and three other validated QoL instruments. RESULTS In the control population, the frequency of the genotypes was 53% fl/fl, 40% d3/fl and 7% d3/d3, and in the patient population, 55, 39 and 6% respectively. There was no significant difference in QoL scores and BC in control subjects with the fl/fl genotype compared with those with the d3/d3 or fl/d3 genotype. There was no difference in the rhGH dose required to optimize serum IGF1, QoL or BC in patients with the fl/fl genotype compared with those with the d3/d3 or d3/fl genotype. CONCLUSION Deletion of exon 3 in the GHR gene does not influence adult height, QoL or BC of the normal adult population nor does it influence rhGH dose, QoL and BC in GHD adults treated with rhGH for more than 1 year.

How accurate is the smoking history in newly diagnosed diabetic patients

A smoking history was obtained from 94 consecutive newly diagnosed diabetic patients referred to an adult diabetic clinic. The smoking load was measured using urinary cotinine/creatinine ratios (COT/Cr). Fifty-six patients (60%) claimed to be non-smokers, but COT/Cr suggested active smoking in five of these. The patients who admitted to smoking were given standardised anti-smoking advice. At 3 months, 32 smoking patients were reviewed and 21 (66%) claimed to have reduced or stopped smoking. However, the median COT/Cr in the 32 patients showed no significant reduction (11.15 vs. 9.30 micrograms/mg). Urinary COT/Cr indicated that 6 patients had stopped smoking (median COT/Cr 6.98 fell to 0.97 micrograms/mg), but several patients had a marked rise in COT/Cr, demonstrating that their smoking habit had increased considerably. Therefore the smoking history obtained from new diabetic patients can be very misleading. An objective measure of smoking habits in the initial assessment and follow-up of diabetes may be worthwhile. Anti-smoking counselling at diagnosis of diabetes may persuade some smokers to stop.