Endocrine Flashcards
Toxic Thyroid Adenoma
The hyperplastic thyroid cells autonomously produce thyroid hormone without TSH
Neonatal thyrotoxicosis
Got it from her mama (Graves Dz)
Transplacental anti-TSHr Ab
Self-resolves in 3 months (when maternal Ab is gone)
In the meantime, give methimazole & beta blocker
PTH-Independent Hypercalcemia
Malignancy
Vitamin D Toxicity
Extrarenal conversion of 25-hydroxyVitD to 1,25 (Sarcoid)
PTH-Dependent Hypercalcemia
Primary Hyperparathyroidism
Familial Hypocalicuric Hypercalcemia
Lithium
Why do Addison’s patients get hyperpigmentation?
Cosecretion of Melanocyte-stimulating hormone with ACTH
Why do Addison’s patients get vitiligo?
Autoimmune destruction of melanocytes
Hyponatremia in endocrine patient
Addison’s
Pubertal gynecomastia treatment
Reassurance
Resolves in most patients within a few months to 2 years
Werdnig-Hoffman Syndrome
AR Disorder
Degeneration of anterior horn cells & cranial nerve motor nuclei. Floppy Baby (but not botulism)
Baby appears normal at first
Weeks later, develops: Apathy Weakness Hypotonia Large tongue Umbilical hernia
Congenital hypothyroidism
Familial or sporadic
Most commonly thyroid dysgenesis (Aplasia, hypoplasia or ectopic gland)
Elderly patient has severe thyrotoxicosis
Before radioactive iodine, what do you give them?
Methimazole or PTU
Essentially debulk, since radioactive iodine will transiently worsen the hyperthyroidism
Main substrates for gluconeogenesis
Gluconeogenic amino acids (from breakdown of muscle)
Main ones: Alanine & Glutamine
Lactate (from anaerobic glycolysis)
Glycerol 3-phosphate (from triacylglycerol in adipose)
Precocious puberty
Development of secondary sex characteristics before the age of:
8 in girls
9 in boys
Central precocious puberty
FSH is high
LH is high
GnRH is activated
Peripheral precocious puberty
FSH is low
LH is low
Gonads or adrenals release excess sex hormones
Clinical features of PCOS
Oligo-ovulation
Clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenemia
Polycystic ovaries on imaging
No evidence of another diagnosis
Clinical features of nonclassic CAH (21-hydroxylase Deficiency)
Oligo-ovulation
Hyperandrogenemia
Increased 17-hydroxyprogesterone levels
Presents later than infancy (nonclassic)
Teens to twenties
Girls:
Acne
Irregular menses
Hirsutism
Boys:
Precocious puberty
Clinical features of Ovarian/Adrenal tumors
Older age
Rapidly progressive symptoms
Increased androgen levels (>3x normal level)
Hyperprolactinemia
Amenorrhea
Galactorrhea
Increased prolactin levels
Cushing Syndrome
Cushingoid features (moon facies, buffalo hump)
Nonsuppressible dexamethasone suppression test
Increasd 24h urinary free cortisol
Acromegaly
Excessive growth
Increased GH
Increased IGF-1
Pathophys of 21-hydroxylase deficiency
Neither cortisol nor aldosterone are made
Pituitary increases ACTH to rectify low levels of cortisol
Adrenals undergo hyperplasia
Build-up of 17-hydroxyprogesterone is diverted to androgen synthesis
Meanwhile, aldosterone deficiency causes salt wasting, though hyponatremia is variable
Additionally, androgen excess impairs hypothalamic sensitivity to progesterone
Rapid GNrH secretion
Hypersecretion of LH & FSH
Increased gonadal steroid production
Most common thyroid epithelial malignancy
Papillary Thyroid Cancer
Second place is Follicular Thyroid Cancer
Follicular Thyroid Cancer
Peak incidence age 40 - 60
Firm thyroid nodule (Cold on scintigraphy)
Often discovered incidentally
FNA of suspected Follicular Thyroid Cancer
Useless
Cytologic findings are indistinguishable between follicular thyroid cancer and benign follicular adenomas
How do we tell the difference between Follicular Thyroid Cancer or Benign Follicular Adenomas?
Follicular Thyroid Cancer invades the tumor capsule and/or blood vessels
This is a finding on examination AFTER excision
How does Follicular Thyroid Cancer metastasize?
Hematogenously to distant tissues
Bone
Lung
Serum calcitonin elevation
Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma
Secreted by the parafollicular cells of the thyroid
MEN2
Path findings of Papillary Thyroid Cancer
Large cells
Ground glass cytoplasm
Pale nuclei w/ inclusion bodies & central grooving
Grainy, lamellated calcifications (Psammoma Bodies)
Hurthle Cells
Large polygonal cells
Eosinophilic cytoplasm
Large quantities of mitochondria
Seen in Follicular Thyroid Cancer
Also seen in Benign Thyroid Adenomas
Also seen in Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
Patient presents with hyperthyroid symptoms
Undergoes contrast CT
Develops delirium, GI upset, agitation or seizure
Thyroid storm. The Iodinated contrast agent induced it!
What can trigger thyroid storm?
Iodine overload Surgery Trauma Infection Childbirth
What can thyroid storm lead to?
Cardiac arrhythmias CHF Seizures Hypotension Shock
Metabolic Syndrome
Hypertension
Impaired fasting glucose
Dyslipidemia
Overweight w/ central fat distribution (increased waist-to-hip ratio)
Steroids have been suppressing a patient’s HPA Axis
The patient discontinues the steroids
How long does it take for them to start secreting CRH & ACTH again?
6 - 12 months
Cortisol and ACTH levels in Central adrenal insufficiency
Morning:
Cortisol Low
ACTH Low
Aldosterone Normal
Cortisol and ACTH levels in Primary adrenal insufficiency
Morning:
Cortisol Low
ACTH High
Aldosterone Low
In DKA, why are potassium levels often high?
Extracellular shift of K (driven by plasma tonicity)
Loss of insulin-dependent potassium uptake
Hyperkalemia results despite total body potassium deficit
Why does DKA result in a total body potassium deficit?
Potassium loss in the urine (glucose-induced osmotic diuresis)
Renal elimination of potassium ketoacid salts
When you give insulin to a DKA patient, how do you avoid hypokalemia?
Monitor potassium closely
Add potassium to IV fluids once serum K < 5.2
Severe (often) Refractory Hypotension
Vomiting
Abdominal Pain
Fever
Adrenal crisis
Primary or due to suppression with steroid use
Treat with hydrocortisone or dexamethasone & aggressive fluid support
Do not wait for lab confirmation
In a patient receiving >20mg/day of prednisone, how soon do you see HPA suppression?
3 weeks
Increase doses of glucocorticoids during acute stressors (like surgery). They won’t naturally upregulate, so you have to give a “stress dose”
In a patient receiving 5 - 20mg/day of prednisone, how bad is their HPA suppression?
Variable
Pre-op evaluation with early-morning cortisol level is necessary to determine risk
Hypercalcemia of Thiazide use
Mild (<12mg/dL)
Rarely symptomatic
Difference between hypercalcemia of malignancy & primary hyperparathyroidism
Malignancy = Severe & Rapid Onset
Primary Hyperparathyroid = Gradual increase
How does sarcoidosis lead to hypercalcemia?
Extrarenal production of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D
Associated with hyperphosphatemia
Hypercalcemia with normal phosphorous
Osteolytic malignancies (Breast Cx, MM)
MEN1
Primary Hyperparathyroidism (Hypercalcemia) Pituitary tumors (Prolactin, visual defects) Pancreatic tumors (Gastrinoma)
MEN2A
Medullary Thyroid Cancer (Calcitonin)
Pheochromocytoma
Parathyroid hyperplasia
MEN2B
Medullary Thyroid Cancer
Pheochromocytoma
Mucosal neuromas / Marfanoid habitus
Patient needs a thyroidectomy and their mama died on the table during the exact same procedure.
Other than thyroid storm, what are you worried about?
MEN2A or MEN2B
A pheochromocytoma can be asymptomatic at time of diagnosis, but cause fatal intraoperative hypertension
What tests should every patient with medullary thyroid cancer get?
Plasma metanephrine assy
RET mutation testing (Chromosome 10)
We’re looking for MEN2A or MEN2B cuz pheos suck, especially during surgery
What is Medullary Thyroid Cancer?
Calcitonin-producing tumor
Parafollicular C cells in Thyroid
Oft associated with Pheochromocytoma as part of MEN2A or MEN2B
Patient with hyperinsulinism, but low insulin & C-peptide levels
Non-beta cell mesenchymal tumor
Secretes IGF II
Measure serum IGF II for diagnosis
If not, then they are injecting themselves
Necrotic migratory erythema
Elevated blood glucose levels
Glucagonoma
Differentiating Solfonylurea use from Beta Cell Tumor
Sulfonylurea Use - Proinsulin level often <20% of insulin
Confirm with serum levels of sulfonylurea
Patient with primary hyperaldosteronism is given a diuretic. What do we worry about?
Diuretic-induced hypokalemia
Oft do not have peripheral edema due to spontaneous diuresis (aldosterone escape)
Screening test for primary hyperaldosteronism
Early morning:
Plasma Aldosterone Concentration
Plasma Renin Activity
Primary Hyperaldo:
Ratio > 20
Plasma Aldosterone > 20
You can only do this test after drugs that alter this ratio (potassium-sparing diuretics) are held for 4 weeks
What drugs alter the Aldosterone/Renin Activity ratio?
Spironolactone
Eplerenone
Amiloride
Triamterene
Hold these for 4 weeks before attempting to measure the ratio.
Confirmation test for primary hyperaldosteronism
Salt loading
Document inability to suppress serum aldosterone
Then, abdominal CT
Most sensitive test for differentiating adrenal adenoma vs bilateral adrenal hyperplasia (in the absence of a discrete unilateral adrenal mass on imaging)
Adrenal venous sampling
Paraneoplastic syndromes from lung cancer
SIADH
Lambert-Eaton
Treatment for thyroid storm
Beta Blockers (propranolol) for symptoms
Thionamides (PTU) to block new synthesis
Iodine solution to block release of existing hormone
Give the iodine at least 1h after PTU, to present excess incorporation of iodine into thyroid hormone
Glucocorticoids to decrease peripheral conversion of T4 to T3
Amenorrhea with increased TSH
Hypothyroidism
Amenorrhea with increased Prolactin
Hyperprolactinemia
Amenorrhea with increased LH
Premature ovarian failure
Most feared side effect of PTU and Methimazole
Agranulocytosis
Occurs within 90 days of treatment
Patient complains of fever and sore throat shortly after beginning treatment
Discontinue the antithyroid agent
Measure WBC
If WBC < 1, discontinue the drug & give a broad spectrum antibiotic with pseudomonal coverage
If WBC <1.5, it probably isn’t the drug causing it
Routine WBC testing to monitor is not cost effective
What serum level of prolactin is diagnostic of a prolactinoma
> 200 ng/mL
Calculate Corrected Calcium
Measured Calcium + 0.8 (4 - serum albumin)
Low albumin will lower the measured calcium incorrectly
Prokinetic agents (GI)
Metoclopramide
Erythromycin
Cisapride
Metabolic abnormalities from hypothyroidism
Hyperlipidemia
Hyponatremia
Asymptomatic CK elevations (<10x normal)
Asymptomatic serum transaminase elevations
Hyperlipidemia of hypothyroidism
Either cholesterol alone (due to decreased LDL surface receptors and/or decreased LDL receptor activity) or both cholesterol and triglycerides (due to decreased lipoprotein lipase activity)
May take months to resolve despite adequate treatment of hypothyroidism
Statins increase risk of myopathy in poorly-controlled hypothyroidism. Give with caution in these patients.
Mechanism of hyponatremia in hypothyroidism
Decreased free water clearance