Endocrine Abstracts

GH deficiency (GHD) has implications throughout the lifespan. In childhood, reduced linear growth is the primary consequence of untreated GHD, while in adulthood, untreated GHD is associated with a number of abnormalities. The phenotype of GHD in adulthood differs depending on timing of onset. Childhood onset (CO) patients have reduced bone mineral content (BMC) and lean body mass (LBM) despite GH replacement therapy (GHRT) during childhood compared with adult onset. These dif...

Major changes in paediatric and adult medical practice have been seen over recent decades with increased prevalence of and longevity in chronic diseases, a marked increase in organ transplantation, rapid increases in recognition of new genetic disorders associated with altered gonadal function. Along with these changes has come recognition of the pivotal importance of adolescent bone mass accrual, to decrease the impact of adult bone loss for those who have a chronic medical c...

Cortisol secretion follows a distinct circadian rhythm, with circulating levels low at sleep onset, beginning to rise between 0200 and 0400 h, peaking within an hour of waking and then declining through the day. This circadian rhythm is determined by the central endogenous clock (pacemaker) of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, located in the hypothalamic supra-chiasmatic nucleus. The HPA axis plays an important role in maintaining alertness and modulatin...