Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Over-dosing and under-dosing of vitamin D in children and young people appears to be common, based on our audit of current practice. The contribution of ethnicity, skin colour, and vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) genotype has not been fully explored during vitamin D treatment.Objective: To investigate how ethnicity/skin colour and genetic variation affect the response to 150 000 units of vitamin D administered to young adults of white Caucas...

Background: The role of bisphosphonates in improving bone mass in patients with osteogenesis impefercta (OI) is well established. However, the impact of bisphosphonate therapy on body composition in relation to increasing bone mass remains relatively unexplored.Methods: Change in DXA-derived subtotal body (TBLH) and lumbar spine (LS: L1–L4) bone mineral content (BMC (g)), bone area (BA (cm2)), areal bone mineral density (aBMD (g/cm2<...

Background: High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (hrMRI) can assess trabecular bone microarchitecture but the number of image slices required for reliable assessment is unclear.Methods: MRI was performed just below the growth plate of the proximal tibia from 20 healthy controls (all females; median age 21 years (range 18.35) and ten cases (3M:7F; median age 19.5 years (range 16.48) with known bone abnormalities including osteogenesis imperfecta and...

Introduction: Metformin is widely used as oral anti-hyperglycaemic agent to treat type 2 diabetes, with increasing reports of an additional, potential bone protective role.Objective: We investigated the role of AMPK in mediating the effects of metformin on the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to either osteoblasts or adipocytes.Methods: Confluent murine MSCs (C3H10T1/2) were treated with metformin (500 μM), a k...

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common physically disabling childhood motor disorder. Fractures in this group of children are common, however, prevalence and risk factors associated with fractures in children with CP in the UK is not known.Aims: The aims of this cross-sectional survey were i) to determine the prevalence of fractures in children with moderate-to-severe CP in Manchester, ii) to determine the common sites of fracture, and iii) t...

Aim: To review trends in bisphosphonate use in children with secondary osteoporosis attending a Tertiary Paediatric Endocrine Unit (2004–July 2015).Methods: Data were gathered from a combination of a clinical and pharmacy database. Results reported as median (range).Results: A total of 42 children (19M) commenced on bisphosphonates treatment over the 11-year period, median age 11.8 years (3.3–18.4). 19 were on pamidronate...

Background and aims: Rickets is a childhood condition resulting from impaired mineralisation of the growth plate, resulting in bony deformities. A retrospective survey was undertaken to identify causes of rickets in children treated at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital from 2009 to 2014.Methods: Cases of rickets were identified through a search of all paediatric radiology reports containing the words ‘Rickets’ or ‘Osteomalacia&...

We present a 3-month-old boy who was born at term, to non-consanguineous parents by spontaneous vaginal delivery, weighing 4.19 kg. Newborn examination, including eyes, was normal. He was admitted at 7 days of life with focal seizures and hypocalcaemia, hypomagnesaemia, hyperphosphataemia, and inappropriately low parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. He was treated with i.v. calcium and magnesium infusions and discharged on oral calcium, magnesium, and alfacalcidol. He was re-admi...

Introduction: Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is well recognised and public awareness is being raised to encourage intake of vitamin D supplements. Optimal serum concentration of 25OHD for bone and general health has not been established. Desirable serum concentration of 25OHD had been proposed as >75 nmol/l and levels above 500 nmol/l are deemed toxic. Guidance is available on tolerable upper limit of vitamin D intake by US Institute of Medicine....