Endocrine Pathology Flashcards
Patient presents to clinic with hypertension, weight gain, moon facies, truncal obesity, buffalo hump, hyperglycemia, striae. You suspect _____. What is the #1 exogenous cause?
Cushing’s syndrome; steroids
What are 3 endogenous causes of Cushing’s syndrome? State whether ACTH inc/dec for each.
Cushing’s disease (inc ACTH from pituitary adenoma), ectopic ACTH (inc ACTH from non-pituitary tissue), adrenal adenoma/carcinoma/nodular adrenal hyperplasia (dec ACTH)
What are some examples of nonpituitary tissue making ACTH?
Small cell lung cancer, bronchial carcinoids
Is cortisol elevated/suppressed during a dexamethasone suppression test for ACTH-pituitary tumor?
With low dose dex: remains elevated; with high dose dex: suppressed
Is cortisol elevated/suppressed during a dexamethasone suppression test for ectopic ACTH-pituitary tumor?
With low dose dex: remains elevated; with high dose dex: remains elevated
Is cortisol elevated/suppressed during a dexamethasone suppression test for cortisol-producing tumor?
With low dose dex: remains elevated; with high dose dex: remains elevated
Patient with adrenal hyperplasia who presents with HTN, hypokalemia, metabolic alkalosis, and low plasma renin. What is the treatment?
Patient has primary hyperaldosteronism. Surgery to remove the tumor and/or spironolactone
Secondary hyperaldosteronism is associated with high/low plasma renin. What is the treatment?
High; spironolactone
How does a patient with Addison’s disease clinically present?
Hypotension, hyperkalemia, acidosis, skin hyperpigmentation (due to MSH, a by-product of inc ACTH production from POMC)
T/F: Addison’s disease only affects the outer 2 cortical divisions.
FALSE: Involves all 3 cortical divisions (spares medulla)
What are 2 clinical features that distinguish primary from secondary adrenal insufficiency?
Unlike primary, secondary does not have skin hyperpigmentation and no hyperkalemia
What is Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome?
Acute primary adrenal insufficiency due to adrenal hemorrhage. Associated with Neisseria meningitidis septicemia, DIC, endotoxic shock
What is the Rule of 10’s for pheochromocytoma?
10% malignant, bilateral, extra-adrenal, calcify, kids
Most pheochromocytomas secrete which 3 hormones?
Epinephrine, NE, dopamine
How is pheochromocytoma diagnosed and treated?
Dx: Urinary VMA and plasma catecholamines are elevated; Treatment: Tumor surgically removed only after effective alpha and beta blockade
T/F: Pheochromocytoma is associated with neurofibromatosis type 1, MEN types 2A and 2B.
TRUE
T/F: When treating pheochromocytoma, beta blockers must be given first to avoid a hypertensive crisis.
FALSE: Irreversible alpha-antagonists must be given first to avoid a hypertensive crisis
What are the 5 P’s of pheochromocytoma (episodic hyperadrenergic symptoms)?
Pressure (elevated blood pressure), pain (headache), perspiration, palpitations (tachycardia), pallor
T/F: In neuroblastoma, HVA is elevated in urine.
TRUE
Patient presents with weight gain, constipation, cold intolerance, decreased appetite, lethargy and fatigue. On exam, some facial myxedema is noted and patient has decreased reflexes, bradycardia. You suspect hypothyroidism. What is the most sensitive test for primary hypothyroidism?
TSH (increased, also see decreased free T4)
Patient presents with heat intolerance, weight loss, diarrhea. Increased reflexes and pretibial myxedema seen on exam. Would you expect TSH, free or total T3 and T4 to be inc or dec?
dec TSH, inc free or total T3 and T4
Patient presents with moderately enlarged, nontender thyroid. Histology shoes Hurthle cells and lymphocytic infiltrate with germinal centers. What are the antibodies associated with this disease?
Antithyroglobulin antibodies (this is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis)
What are the 5 P’s associated with cretinism?
Pot-bellied, Pale, Puffy-faced child with Protruding umbilicus and Protuberant tongue
Patient with recent flu-like illness presents with jaw pain and a very tender thyroid. Histology shows granulomatous inflammation. What is a lab finding associated with the disease and treatment?
Inc ESR; self limiting
T/F: Patients with subacute thyroiditis may be hyperthyroid early in course.
TRUE
T/F: Riedel’s thyroiditis presents as a fixed, hard, painful goiter.
FALSE: Painless
Fill in the blank: Toxic multinodular goiter is focal patches of hyperfunctioning follicular cells working independently of TSH due to a _____.
Mutation in TSH receptor
Hot nodules are rarely malignant/benign.
Malignant
What are some clinical findings associated with Graves’ disease?
Proptosis, pretibial myxedema, inc in connective tissue deposition, diffuse goiter