Endocrine Diagnosis

Abstract

The major advances in endocrinology in recent years have resulted from improved diagnostic tests that make it possible to delineate many of the syndromes that were previously lumped together. This book describes those tests that are most helpful and also points out those that have become obsolete. In 122 pages, the authors have included the essential diagnostic information that is found in the standard textbook of endocrinology that is ten times this length. Each chapter is well referenced and each syndrome is described in short, terse paragraphs. In controversial matters, the authors have selected the more rational middle ground. For example: they recommend a higher level of blood glucose for the diagnosis of diabetes than is commonly used. This is based on the fact that the overdiagnosis of diabetes may be a serious economic liability to the patient while there is no proved benefit to the treatment of asymptomatic diabetes.