Familial paraganglioma: a novel presentation of a case and response to therapy with radiolabelled MIBG.

Phaeochromocytomas (PC) and paragangliomas are disorders of the sympatho-adrenomedullary system. They are chromaffin-containing neuroendocrine tumors of neural crest origin that contain catecholamine-secreting granules: they arise from either the adrenal medulla (phaeochromocytomas) or from extra-adrenal neural crest derivatives e.g.

An Asian multicenter clinical trial to assess the efficacy and tolerability of acarbose compared with placebo in type 2 diabetic patients previously treated with diet. Asian Acarbose Study Group.

Objective: To assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of acarbose versus placebo during a 24-week treatment period in Asian type 2 diabetic patients with dietary failure.

Research Design And Methods: After a 6-week screening period, 126 multiethnic Asian type 2 diabetic patients (64 men, 62 women; mean age +/- SD, 53.4 +/- 10 years) were randomized to receive acarbose (n = 63) or placebo (n = 63).

Outcome of transsphenoidal surgery for acromegaly using strict criteria for surgical cure.

Objective: Previous studies of surgical treatment for acromegaly have used varied criteria for 'cure', but elevated GH levels are considered to be associated with continuing disease activity. We wished to analyse the results of transsphenoidal pituitary surgery for acromegaly and assess the longer-term outcome for patients not offered further treatment when post-operative levels of GH < 5 mU/l were achieved.

Design: We studied a retrospective group of patients who underwent transsphenoidal surgery for acromegaly at St Bartholomew's Hospital between 1985 and 1993.

Relative value of computed tomography scanning and venous sampling in establishing the cause of primary hyperaldosteronism.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative merits of the postural stimulation test, adrenal computed tomography (CT) and venous sampling in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with primary hyperaldosteronism. The records of 20 patients presenting with primary hyperaldosteronism were reviewed retrospectively. There were 15 patients with a unilateral aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA), four patients with idiopathic hyperaldosteronism (IHA) and one patient with primary adrenal hyperplasia (PAH).