Helping people gain better

The American College of Endocrinology (ACE), the educational and research arm of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), inducted Dr. Kerem Ozer, Texas Diabetes & Endocrinology physician partner, as a Fellow of the American College of Endocrinology during its recent convocation ceremony at the 2016 AACE Annual Meeting and Clinical Congress in Orlando, Florida.

Designation as a Fellow of the American College of Endocrinology (FACE) means an endocrinologist has achieved a level of training and experience consistent with the highest standards established and adopted by the clinical specialty of endocrinology.

To be accepted into the College as a Fellow, Dr. Ozer had to fulfill several rigorous academic and clinical requirements. He also had to meet service and membership expectations from the college. Alan Garber, MD, PhD, FACE, ACE president, emphasized that the FACE title also underlines international recognition of a physician’s exceptional clinical and research achievements.

About 140 endocrinologists from around the world were inducted during the ceremony. The mission of ACE is to provide and promote education, research and communication in the art and science of clinical endocrinology and to provide appropriate recognition of advances and achievements relating to clinical endocrinology.

AACE is currently the world’s largest organization representing clinical endocrinologists. With more than 6,500 members in the United States and 91 other countries, the organization has developed a robust network of professional associates.

For more information, visit www.aace.com.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an important cause of menstrual irregularity and androgen excess (elevations in testosterone) in women. It is one of the most common endocrine disorders affecting up to 8% of women overall.  Symptoms often include irregular menstrual cycles, facial hair, thinning hair on the scalp, acne and infertility.   Affected women also tend to carry risk factors for cardiovascular disease including obesity, diabetes or pre-diabetes and high cholesterol.  Approximately 40-85% of women with PCOS are overweight or obese and carry a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. PCOS is also associated with depression and anxiety, fatty liver and obstructive sleep apnea.Most women with PCOS grow many small cysts on their ovaries–these cysts are not necessarily harmful but are associated with hormonal imbalances that cause the manifestations noted above.

Making a diagnosis of PCOS involves taking a thorough medical history as well as performing a comprehensive physical exam.  If indicated, your doctor may also perform ovarian ultrasound (although this latter test may not be necessary to make the diagnosis), and blood testing to diagnose PCOS.  Once diagnosed, treatment for this disorder should be initiated promptly.   The first recommendation is usually weight loss through healthful dietary changes and daily exercise.  If you are overweight, even a small amount of weight loss will help the manifestations of PCOS.  There are also some medications that can be used to improve metabolic profiles as well as increase fertility by regulating menstrual cycles.  Birth control pills and Metformin are examples of common medications used to treat PCOS.  Hormonal therapies are also used to treat infertility associated with PCOS.

Having PCOS can significantly negatively impact quality of life and as such, should be promptly diagnosed and treated.  Early treatment can help control the symptoms of PCOS and may help prevent long term health problems.

The guide, “Journey Through the Endocrine System”, uses 3-D animation to provide an overview of all endocrine-related organs and their function. A mobile app version will be released in early 2016. The guide is available here: http://www.hormone.org/hormones-and-health/the-endocrine-system.