Endocrine Flashcards
Too much growth hormone=?
acromegaly (adults) gigantism (paeds)
Not enough GH
pituitary dwarfism
Too much cortisol
Cushing’s disease if pituitary
Cushing’s syndrome if due to steroids/adrenal adenoma/paraneoplastic
What paraneoplastic tumour is often linked to cushing’s syndrome
Small Cell lung ca
Not enough cortisol
Adrenal insufficiency (primary/sec/tert)
Or congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Test for cushing’s?
Dexamethasone suppression test
Urinary free cortisol (3 times)
Late night cortisol
What are the causes of adrenal insuff?
primary- Addison’s (autoimmune), TB/fungal/HIV
Secondary- pituitary damage e.g. non-functioning adenoma
Tertiary- stopped LT steroids
Test for secondary adrenal insufficiency?
Insulin stress test/glucon stimulation
Test for acromegaly?
OGTT
Test for GH deficiency?
Insulin stress test
Too much adrenaline?
Phaeochromocytoma
Test for phaeochromocytoma?
plasma free metanephrins/24h urine catecholamines
Too much aldosterone?
Conn’s or secondary hyperaldosteronism
Causes of Conn’s
Adrenal adenoma/carcinoma
Bilat adrenal hyperplasia
Familial
Causes of secondary hyperaldosteronism?
Low renal BP- so RA stenosis/obstruction or heart failure
What would happen to renin in secondary hyperaldosteronism?
high
Do you get low adrenaline in adrenal insufficiency?
No- medullary sparing
What type of adrenal insufficiency does not effect aldosterone?
Secondary as it is under renin control, not pituitary
What electrolyte derangement do you get in primary adrenal insuff?
Low sodium, high potassium (as less aldosterone to retain sodium, and it is a K/Na pump so K not pumped out)
What electrolyte derangement do you get in secondary adrenal insuff?
Low sodium, normal potassium (aldosterone not involved, but cortisol has some action on sodium)
What is the effect of congenital adrenal hyperplasia on hormones?
Low cortisol
High testosterone
What is the pathophysiology of congenital adrenal hyperplasia?
Deficiency of 21-hydroxylase enzyme which catalyses the conversion of progesterone into aldosterone and cortisol, but is not involved in the conversion of progesterone to testosterone. So ALL of the progesterone becomes testosterone so high testosterone, low cortisol and aldosterone.
Inheritance of congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Autosomal recessive
Low ADH
SIADH