Endocrine - pathology Flashcards
In endocrine disease, what tends to cause the clinical signs?
The FUNCTIONAL effects of the altered hormone levels
Rather than physical effects of endocrine gland lesions - lots less common
What are the two mechanisms of increasing functional effects of hormones?
Hyperfunction - excess production of hormone
New source of hormone
What is primary hyperfunction?
Hormone secretion occurs independent of a stimulus
From a pathological change in the endocrine gland eg. hyperplastic or neoplastic cells
Causes autonomous secretion of excess hormone
What is secondary hyperfunction?
When the stimulus causing hyperfunction is outside the primary gland - extrinsic cause
What are some examples of secondary hyperfunction?
Functional lesion is on an endocrine gland producing excess stimulatory hormone
Or excess stimulation from negative feedback loops eg. from hypercalcaemia
What are two examples of a new source of hormones increasing functional effects of hormones on the body?
Exogenous - glucocorticoid administration
Endogenous - anal sac apocrine gland carcinoma producing PTHrp
What are two mechanisms that cause decreased functional effects of hormones on the body?
Hypofunction - insufficient production of hormone
Lack of response to a hormone
What causes primary hypofunction?
Impaired ability or lack of ability to produce hormone
What are two causes of congenital primary hypofunction?
Genetic mutation causing biochemical defect in hormone synthesis or activation
Developmental anomaly
What are 5 causes of acquired primary hypofunction?
Destruction of functional cells from -
Infections
Immune mediated disease
Treatments eg. radiotherapy, drugs
Vascular disease - infarcts
Neoplastic disease
What are two causes of secondary hypofunction?
Reduced stimulatory signal between endocrine glands causing subnormal hormone secretion
Or lack of substrate for hormone synthesis eg. nutritional deficiency
What causes lack of response to a hormone from the target tissue?
Primary disease
Or another disease condition in the body causing dysfunction to the target tissue
What are the main endocrine glands in the body?
Pituitary gland
Thyroids
Parathyroids
Adrenals
Pancreas
What hormones are produced in the adrenal gland (cortex)?
Mineralocorticoids - aldosterone
Glucocorticoids - cortisol
Sex steroids
What disease is hyperadrenocorticism known as?
Cushings syndrome
What is the endocrine pathway of cortisol?
Hypothalamus releases CRH
Acts on pituitary to release ACTH
Act on adrenals to release cortisol
What causes primary hyperadrenocorticism?
Functional tumour in the adrenal cortex
What are the consequences of primary hyperadrenocorticism?
Increased cortisol production
Negative feedback on hypothalamus/pituitary - decreased CRH/ACTH
Bilateral adrenal cortex atrophy
What are adrenal cortical tumours most common in? What type of tumour is most common?
Dogs - cortical adenomas
What tumour of the adrenal cortex doesnt cause hyperadrenocorticism but is a common incidental finding in older dogs/cats/horses?
Adrenal cortical nodular hyperplasia
What is secondary hyperadrenocorticism?
A functional pituitary tumour producing excess ACTH
What are the consequences of pituitary dependent secondary hyperadrenocorticism?
Increased cortisol
Bilateral HYPERTROPHY of the adrenal cortices
What is more common - primary or secondary pituitary dependent hyperadrenocorticism?
Secondary more common - 85% of cases are pituitary-dependent
What can cause iatrogenic hyperadrenocorticism?
Glucocorticoid administration
What are the consequences of glucocorticoid administration?
Reduced CRH and ADH
Bilateral adrenal cortex atrophy
What are the similarities and differences in primary and secondary (pituitary dependent) hyperadrenocorticism?
Primary - adrenal cortical atrophy, decreased ACTH
Secondary - adrenal cortical hypertrophy, increased ACTH
What is the name for hypoadrenocorticism?
Addisons disease
What occurs in primary hypoadrenocorticism?
Bilateral adrenocortical atrophy/destruction
What are 4 causes of primary hypoadrenocorticism?
Idiopathic
Adrenal inflammation
Vascular disease
Metastatic tumour
What are the consequences of primary hypoadrenocorticism?
Reduced synthesis of mineralocorticoids - aldosterone
Leads to disturbances in potassium, sodium and chloride - hyperkalaemia and hyponatremia