Endocrine Flashcards
Hormones secreted by the posterior pituitary? anterior pituitary?
Posterior - ADH, oxytocin; Anterior - ACTH, TSH, GH, LH, FSH, prolactin
post-partum trouble lactating, amenorrhea
Sheehan’s syndrome; due to pituitary ischemia following hemorrhage/hypotension during childbirth
adrenal insufficiency after meningitis
Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome; adrenal gland hemorrhage after meningococcal sepsis
Vascular supply of the adrenal gland?
Arterial (3) superior (inferior phrenic), middle (aorta), inferior (renal artery); Left adrenal vein (left renal vein), Right adrenal vein (IVC)
most common metastasis to adrenal gland
lung ca
components of the adrenal gland? what do they secrete?
cortex and medulla; cortex = GFR (glomerulosa - aldosterone, fasciulata - glucocorticoids, reticularis - androgens/estrogens); medulla = catecholamines
male with precocious puberty (or female with virilization), hyperkalemia, hypotension
21-hydroxylase deficiency (90% of congeintal adrenal hyperplasias) – leads to low aldosterone and high testosterone (increased 17-OH progesterone)
male with precocious puberty (or female with virilization), hypertension
11-hydroxylase deficiency, leads to salt saving (deoxycortisone acts as mineralcorticoid) and causes hypertension, high testosterone
hypokalemia, hypertension, weakness, polyuria - dx, lab findings
hyperaldosteronism (Conn’s syndrome), test w/ salt-load suppression test (urine aldo will stay high in primary), aldosterone:renin ratio >20
primary vs secondary hyperaldosteronism; causes, how to differentiate and tx?
primary (renin is low) aldo:renin ratio >20, most often caused by hyperplasia 60%, otherwise adenoma; secondary (renin is high) more common than primary, CHF, renal artery stenosis, liver failure, diuretics, renin tumor – adenoma tx w/ adrenalectomy, hyperplasia tx medical therapy (spironolactone, Ca blocker, K+, otherwise bilateral adrenalectomies)
hypotension, lethargy, hyperkalemia - dx, most common cause
hypocortisolism (adrenal insufficiency / Addison’s disease, most often caused by withdrawal of steroids, most common primary cause is autoimmune; decreased cortisol (due to high ACTH) and aldosterone – dx w/ cosyntropin test (give ACTH, measure urine cortisol, should remain low)
high cortisol levels, low ACTH – dx, next steps?
cortisol secreting lesion – i.e. adrenal adenoma or more commonly adrenal hyperplasia; adrenalectomy for adenoma, medical therapy first for hyperplasia (spironolactone which inhibits aldosterone)
high cortisol levels, high ACTH – dx, next steps?
pituitary adenoma or ectopic source of ACTH (i.e. small cell lung Ca); need to do high dose dexamethsone suppression test – if urine cortisol is suppressed = pituitary adenoma, if urine cortisol is not suppressed = ectopic producer of ACTH
most common non-iatrogenic cause of Cushing’s syndrome? tx?
pituitary adenoma – urine cortisol should be suppressed w/ either low or high dose dexamethasone suppression test – tx w/ transphenoidal resection, unrectable tumor treat w/ XRT
2 most common non-iatrogenic cause of Cushing’s syndrome? tx?
ectopic ACTH, most commonly from small cell lung ca - cortisol is not suppressed with either low or high dose dexamethasone suppression – tx w/ resection of primary
3 most common non-iatrogenic cause of Cushing’s syndrome? tx?
adrenal adenoma, get decreased ACTH, unregulated steroid production, tx w/ adrenalectomy
medication used for residual/recurrent or metastatic adrenocortical carcinoma
mitotane; inhibits adrenal cortex, induces adrenal atrophy – has poor response rates
where is epinephrine produced? what about for pheochromocytoma? what enzyme converts norepinephrine to epinephrine?
produced in adrenal medulla only; only adrenal pheochromocytomas will produced epinephrine; PMNT (phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase) - enzyme found only in adrenal medulla
most common location of extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma
organ of Zuckerkandl (at aortic bifurcation)
hemodynamic management for pheochromocytoma
important to alpha blockade first (usually w/ phenoxybenzamine or terazosin) to avoid hypertensive crisis – then beta block if tachycardic/arrythmia – beta blockade without adequate alpha blockade leads to unopposed alpha stimulation, hypertensive crisis, stroke and heart failure
cell type of pheochromocytoma?
chromaffin cells (neural crest)
embryologic origin of thyroid gland? parathyroid glands?
thyroid from 1st and 2nd pharyngeal arches, superior parathyroid from 4th pharyngeal pouch, inferior parathyroid from 3rd pharyngeal pouch (Parathyroid from the Pouch)
what is the arterial and venous blood supply to the thyroid and where do they branch from
superior thyroid artery (1st branch of external carotid artery), inferior thyroid artery (off thyrocervical trunk / subclavian artery, supplies both parathyroids), Ima artery (arises from inominate/aorta to isthmus, 1% of pts); superior and middle thyroid vein (drain to internal jugular vein), inferior thyroid vein (drains into inominate vein)
what is the significance of the superior laryngeal nerve?
vagus branch, provides motor to cricothyroid muscle, lateral to thyroid lobes close to superior thyroid artery, injury results in loss of projection and easy voice fatigability
what is the general course of the recurrent laryngeal nerve?
runs posterior to thyroid lobe in the tracheoesophageal groove, often close to inferior thyroid artery, left RLN goes around aorta, right RLN goes around inominate artery
FNA of thyroid nodule shows follicular cells: dx/tx?
5-10% chance of malignancy, cannot differentiate between follicular cell adenoma, follicular cell hyperplasia, and follicular cell ca on FNA; tx w/ lobectomy vs total thyroidectomy
mechanism of propylthiouracil, methimazole? important side effects? use in pregnancy?
inhibits peroxidases and prevents iodine-tyrosine coupling – PTU is safe with pregnancy; both can cause aplastic anemia and agranulocytosis