20 - Pathology of the Thyroid I Flashcards
What is the definition of diabetes mellitus?
**
A CHRONIC disorder of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism due to defective or deficient INSULIN secretory response
Describe the population statistics of diabetes mellitus
- 3% of the world’s population (that’s a lot)
- 16 million in US, only 8 million diagnosed
- 1 million new cases per year
- 50,000 deaths/year in the US
Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death ***
What causes diabetes mellitus?
Many different causes
- Destruction of islets due to pancreatitis
- Tumors
- Drugs (steroids, thiazides, etc.)
- Hemochromatosis (“bronze diabetes” due to hemosiderin deposition in the pancreas)
- Surgery
- Infections (e.g. congenital rubella, CMV, coxsackievirus)
- Endocrinopathies (pituitary, adrenal, pregnancy)
- Gestational diabetes
- Idiopathic
What are the four types of diabetes?
- Type 1
- Type 2
- Gestational
- MODY
Describe type 1 diabetes
- Beta cell destruction which leads to ABSOLUTE insulin deficiency ***
- Immune mediated
- Idiopathic
Describe type 2 diabetes
- Insulin resistance with relative insulin deficiency ***
- Onset usually >40 years old
What is MODY?
Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young
- 2-5% of patients have been found to have genetic abormalities which cause a primary defect in beta cell function ***
- No loss or change in the number of beta cells
- Usually autosomal dominant with high penetrance
- Early onset usually less than 25 years old
- No obesity
- No insulin resistance and no antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase ***
What are normal blood glucose values?
Blood glucose values are normally maintained in a very narrow range (usually 70 - 120 mg/dL)
Describe the diagnostic values for diabetes mellitus
The diagnosis of diabetes is established by noting elevation of blood glucose by any one of four criteria:
1 - HbA1c of 6.5% or more
2 - Fasting plasma glucose of 126 mg/dL or higher
3 - 2 hour plasma glucose of 200 or more during an oral glucose tolerance test
4 - Random (“casual”) glucose of 200 or more in a patient with classic symptoms of hyperglycemia or hyperglycemic crisis
What do you need to keep in mind when testing these lab values?
If any of the first three lab values come back positive (HbA1c 6.5, fasting 126 or glucose test 200), RETEST, just in case the lab results were wrong
Always do this in the absence of unequivocal hyperlycemia to make sure the diagnosis is correct
What does it mean in the patient’s fasting blood glucose level is between 120 and 126?
Suspicious for diabetes, but not diagnostic
What is the MOST COMMON leading cause of death in diabetics?
MI
DM causes MI
It does NOT matter which type of diabetes the aptient has –> this applies to all diabetics
What are the other common causes of death in diabetics?
- Renal failure
- Cerebrovascular disease
- Hypertensive heart disease
- Infections
Describe the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes
A combination of genetic predisposition and environmental insult contribute to autoimmune attack and ultimately diabetes
Describe the genetic predisposition in type 1 diabets
HLA-linked genes and other genetic loci put the patient at risk of developing type 1 diabetes