Basics Endocrinology Flashcards
What is Addison’s?
- autoimmune destruction adrenal glands
- most common cause hypoadrenalism
- reduced cortisol and aldosterone
- hyponatraemia, hyperkalaemia, hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, hypoglycaemia, hypotension, salt craving, weight gain etc.
How do you investigate Addison’s?
- ACTH stimulation test
- plasma cortisol 30 min before and after 250 ug IM synacthen
- electrolyte abnormalities
How do you manage an Addisonian crisis?
- hydrocortisone 100mg IM or IV
- 1 litre normal saline or dextrose if hypoglycaemic
- continue hydrocortisone 6 hourly until stable
Management of Addison’s
glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid replacement therapy (hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone)
What is Acromegaly?
- excess GH
- 95% secondary due to pituitary adenoma
- coarse facial features, prognathism, interdental spaces, increase shoe size, sweat gland hypertrophy, features of primary tumour
How do you investigate acromegaly?
- GH vary so not diagnostic
- Serum IGF-1 levels
- OGTT
- Pituitary MRI
How do you manage acromegaly?
-transphenoidal surgery if not: -somatostatin analogue e.g. octreotide -GH receptor antagonist e.g. pegvisomant -dopamine agonist e.g. bromocriptine
What is Bartter’ syndrome?
- autosomal recessive severe hypokalaemia due to defective chloride absorption at NKCC2 in ascending loop of Henle
- normotensive
- failure to thrive in childhood, polyuria, polydipsia, hypokalaemia, normotension and weakness
What are the causes of congenital adrenal hyperplasia?
- autosomal recessive disorders
- high ACTH in response to low cortisol
- 21-hydroxylase deficiency
- 11-beta-hydroxylase deficiency
- 17-hydroxylase deficiency
What investigations for Cushing’s
- hypokalaemic metabolic alkalosis
- impaired glucose tolerance
- ectopic ACTH leads to hypokalaemia
- insulin stress test to distinguish pseudo
- confirm with overnight dexamethasone suppression test and 24 hour urinary free cortisol
Explain the difference in results between normal, Cushing’s syndrome, disease and ectopic ACTH with low dose dexamethasone, high-dose and ACTH levels:
- normal: decrease, decrease, no change
- syndrome: no change, no change, decrease
- disease: no change, decrease, increase
- ectopic ACTH: no change, no change, increase
What is Liddle’s syndrome?
- rare autosomal dominant cause of hypertension
- hypokalaemic alkalosis
- disordered increased sodium reabsorption
- treat with amiloride or triamterene
MEN type I
-parathyroid
-pituitary
-pancreas
(adrenal and thyroid)
MEN1 gene
MEN type II
-medullary thyroid cancer
-parathyroid
-phaeochromocytoma
RET oncogene
MEN type III
-medullary thyroid cancer
-phaeochromocytome
-marfanoid body, habits, neuromas
RET oncogene
What is a myxoedema coma and how do you treat it?
- decompensated hypothyroidism
- confusion and hypothermia
- IV thyroid replacement, IV fluids, IV corticosteroids, electrolyte imbalance correction