Mortality and morbidity in Cushing's syndrome in New Zealand.

Objective: Untreated Cushing's syndrome (CS) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. However, recent operative series suggest low morbidity and mortality for CS, whereas population-based surveys report elevated mortality rates. We investigated the mortality and morbidity of CS in New Zealand.

Unmasking of undiagnosed pre-existing central diabetes insipidus after renal transplantation.

Acquired central diabetes insipidus (CDI) often occurs abruptly after a cranial event causing hypothalamic or pituitary damage. We present a case of a patient with pre-existing and clinically unapparent CDI which was unmasked after renal transplantation. A 60 year old woman with end-stage renal failure due to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) underwent renal transplantation.

Treatment of acromegaly.

Mortality is increased in individuals with acromegaly unless serum growth hormone (GH) levels are below 2 microg/l and serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I levels are normal following treatment. These combined criteria have been used to define remission of the disorder in this review. Transsphenoidal surgery achieves remission targets in an average of 55% of patients.

Factors influencing mortality in acromegaly.

Studies of acromegaly have shown a doubling of mortality compared with the general population. With the development of new modalities of treatment, it has become important to identify prognostic factors relating to mortality. Between 1964 and 2000, 208 acromegalic patients were followed for a mean of 13 yr at Auckland Hospital.

Serum insulin-like growth factor-I and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 following chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer.

Background: Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) appear to influence the growth of breast cancer cells in vitro, and epidemiological studies suggest higher serum IGF-I levels increase the risk of breast cancer. IGF-I and IGFBP-3 have therefore been measured in women with advanced breast cancer to determine if changes in serum levels predict the response to treatment by chemotherapy.

Methods: Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels were measured in 14 patients before and after 1 week of chemotherapy.

Melanocortin-3 receptor gene variants in a Maori kindred with obesity and early onset type 2 diabetes.

Genetic studies suggest a diabetes susceptibility locus on human chromosome 20, near the melanocortin receptor-3 (MC3-R) gene. We examined the MC3-R as a candidate gene for type 2 diabetes in 12 members of a large Maori kindred with multiple affected members. The coding region of the MC3-R gene was sequenced for both diabetic and non-diabetic individuals.