Endocrinology Flashcards
T1DM - what is it? Epidemiology?
- autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells → complete insulin deficiency
- usually presents aged 5-15
- 10% of all diabetes
Risk Factors of T1DM
- family history of HLA DR3-DQ2 or HLA DR4-DQ8
- Northern European
- other autoimmune diseases eg autoimmune thyroid, coeliac, Addison’s
Pathophysiology of T1DM
- autoantibodies attack beta cells in the islets of Langerhans
- causes insulin deficiency → hyperglycaemia
- continuous breakdown of glycogen from liver (glucogenesis) → glycosuria
Signs and Symptoms of T1DM
- classic triad = polydipsia, polyuria, weight loss (BMI <25)
- usually short history of severe symptoms
- may present with ketosis
Diagnostic Criteria of T1DM
random plasma glucose >11
Treatment of T1DM
- insulin
- short-acting insulin/insulin analogues → 4-6hrs
- longer-acting insulin → 12-24hrs
What is T2DM?
- non-insulin dependent
- patients gradually become insulin resistant AND/OR
- pancreatic beta cells fail to secrete enough insulin
- progresses from impaired glucose tolerance
Causes of T2DM
- gestational diabetes
- steroids
- Cushing’s
- chronic pancreatitis
Risk Factors of T2DM
- lifestyle factors
- Asian men
- > 40yrs
- HTN
Signs and Symptoms of T2DM
- polydipsia
- polyuria
- glycosuria
- central obesity
- blurred vision
Investigations for T2DM
- fasting plasma glucose >7
- random plasma glucose >11
- HbA1c >48
1st Line Management for T2DM
LIFESTYLE
- dietary advice
- smoking cessation
- decrease alcohol intake
- encourage exercise
- regular blood glucose and HbA1c monitoring
2nd Line Management for T2DM
MEDICATIONS
1. metformin → increased insulin sensitivity → 1st choice if overweight
2. add either DPP4 inhibitor, sulphonylurea (increased insulin secretion) or pioglitazone
3. triple therapy
4. then add insulin
use HbA1c levels to monitor
What is DKA
- diabetes ketoacidosis
- complete lack of insulin → high ketone production
- medical emergency
- serious complication of T1DM
Causes of DKA
- untreated/undiagnosed T1DM
- infection
- illness
Pathophysiology of DKA
- absence of insulin → hyperglycaemia
- hyperglycaemia → osmotic diuresis → dehydration
- peripheral lipolysis for energy → increased circulating free fatty acids → oxidised to acetyl CoA → ketone bodies (acidic) → acidosis
Symptoms of DKA
- extreme diabetes symptoms plus
- N&V
- weight loss
- confusion and reduced mental state
- lethargy
- abdominal pain
Signs of DKA
- Kussmaul’s breathing
- ‘pear drop’ breath
- hypotension
- tachycardia
Investigations of DKA
- random plasma glucose >11
- plasma ketones >3
- blood pH <7.35
- bicarb >15
- urine dipstick → glycosuria, ketonuria
- raised urea and creatinine
- decreased total K+ and increased serum K+
Treatment of DKA
- ABCDE management
- replace fluid → 0.9% saline IV
- IV insulin
- restore electrolytes → K+
What is ABCDE management?
- Airway
- Breathing
- Circulation
- Disability
- Exposure
What is HHS?
- hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state
- marked hyperglycaemia, hyperosmolality, mild/no ketosis
- medical emergency
- serious complication of T2DM
Pathophysiology of HHS
- low insulin → increased glucogenesis
- hyperglycaemia but enough insulin to inhibit ketogenesis
- hyperglycaemia → dehydration
Signs and Symptoms of HHS
- extreme diabetes symptoms plus
- confusion and reduced mental state
- lethargy
- severe dehydration
Investigations for HHS
- random plasma glucose >11
- urine dipstick = glycosuria
- plasma osmolality = high
- decreased total K+ and increased serum K+
Treatment of HHS
- replace fluids → 0.9% saline IV
- low rate infusion of insulin
- restore electrolytes → K+
- LMW heparin
What is Hyperthyroidism
- clinical effect of thyroid hormone
- primary = abnormal increased thyroid function
- secondary = abnormal increased TSH production
Causes of Hyperthyroidism
- Graves disease
- toxic multinodular goitre
- toxic adenoma
- metastatic follicular thyroid cancer
- iodine excess eg IV contrast
- secondary causes = TSH secreting pituitary tumour
Epidemiology of Hyperthyroidism
- mainly young women → 20-40yrs
- Graves disease
Risk Factors of Hyperthyroidism
- smoking
- stress
- HLA-DR3
- other autoimmune diseases eg T1DM, Addison’s, vitiligo
Pathophysiology of Hyperthyroidism
- increased T3
- increased metabolic rate, CO, bone resorption
- also activates sympathetic NS
Signs and Symptoms of Hyperthyroidism (9)
- hot and sweaty
- diarrhoea
- hyperphagia
- weight loss
- palpitations
- tremor
- irritability/anxiety/restlessness
- oligomenorrhoea
- goitre
Investigations for Hyperthyroidism
- TFTs → increased T4/T3
- primary = decreased TSH
- secondary = increased TSH
- thyroid autoantibodies → anti-TSHR
- US/CT head
Treatment for Hyperthyroidism
- carbimazole → blocks synthesis of T4
- propylthiouracil → prevents conversion of T4 to T3
- beta-blockers for symptom relief
- radioiodine
- thyroidectomy
Pathophysiology of Graves
- IgG autoantibodies (anti-TSHR-Ab) bind to TSH receptors
- increased T3/T4 production
- also react with orbital autoantigens
Symptoms of Graves
- hyperthyroid symptoms
- thyroid eye disease → eyelid retraction, periorbital swelling, proptosis
- pretibial myxoedema
- thyroid acropachy → clubbing, painful finger and toe swelling
What is Hypothyroidism
- clinical effect of lack of thyroid hormone
- primary = abnormal decreased thyroid function
- secondary = abnormal decreased TSH production
- not enough T3 to increase metabolic rate for normal body functions
Epidemiology of Hypothyroidism
- mainly >40yrs
- female > male
Causes of Hypothyroidism
- autoimmune diseases eg hashimotos, primary atrophic hypothyroidism
- primary iodine deficiency
- drugs eg antithyroid, lithium
- secondary cause = hypopituitarism
Signs and Symptoms of Hypothyroidism (9)
- fatigue
- weight gain
- loss of appetite
- cold
- lethargy
- constipation
- low mood
- menorrhagia
- goitre
Investigations for Hypothyroidism
- TFTs → decreased T3 and T4
- primary = increased TSH
- secondary = decreased TSH
- autoantibodies → anti-TPO
Treatment for Hypothyroidism
levothyroxine T4
What is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
- most common cause of hypothyroidism
- cause = autoimmune inflammation of thyroid gland
- associated with anti-TPO and antithyroglobulin antibodies
- goitre then atrophy of gland
What is Cushing’s
long term exposure cortisol → released by adrenal glands
Causes of Cushing’s
- ACTH secreting from pituitary adenoma (Cushing’s disease)
- ectopic ACTH production from small cell lung cancer
- iatrogenic → steroids
- adrenal adenoma
Signs and Symptoms of Cushing’s (8)
- moon face
- central obesity
- buffalo hump
- acne
- HTN
- striae
- hirsutism
- weight gain
Investigations for Cushing’s
- raised random plasma cortisol
- overnight dexamethasone suppression test → cortisol will not be suppressed
- urinary free cortisol
- plasma ACTH
Treatment for Cushing’s
- depends on underlying cause
- Cushing’s disease → remove pituitary adenoma → transsphenoidal surgery
- adrenal adenoma → adrenalectomy
- cortisol synthesis inhibition → metyrapone, ketoconazole