Endocrinology Flashcards
Give 4 causes of hyperthyroidism
- G : Graves
- I : Inflammation
- S : Single toxic thyroid nodule
- T : Toxic multinodular goitre
What are the general 7 symptoms of hyperthyroidism?
- Weight loss
- Anxiety
- Diarrhoea
- Menstrual and sexual disturbances
- Fatigue
- Sweating and heat intolerance
- Insomnia
What are the 6 general signs of hyperthyroidism?
- Tachycardia
- Brisk reflexes on examination
- Hyperkinesia
- AF
- Tremor
- Dilated warm peripheries
Define primary and secondary hyperthyroidism
- Primary hyperthyroidism : low TSH with raised T3/T4
- Secondary hyperthyroidism : raised T3/T4 with raised TSH
What is the cause of Grave’s?
- Autoimmiune
- TSH receptor antibodies cause primary hyperthyroidism by stimulating thyroid to release T3 and T4
Give 4 Grave’s specific signs of hyperthyroidism
- Exophthalmos, opthalmoplegia
- Pretibial myxoedema
- Thyroid acropachy (digital clubbing, swelling of hands and feet, periosteal new bone formation)
- Diffuse goitre = increased homogenous uptake in a radioactive iodine uptake test
What autoantibodies are found in Grave’s?
- TSH receptor stimulating antibodies
- Antithyroid peroxidase antibodies
What is the first line management of hyperthyroidism ?
- Carbimazole (40mg) -> blocks the action of thyroid peroxidase
What is a risk associated with carbimazole use ?
- Acute pancreatitis
If a patient presents with a sore throat and is taking carbimazole, what is the life-threatening cause ?
- Agranulocytosis - low white blood cell count
What can be used 1st line for symptoms control in hyperthyroidism
- Propanolol -> non selectively blocks adrenalin related symtoms
If carbimazole doesn’t control symptoms of hyperthyroid, what can be done?
- Radioactive iodine treatment
- CI = pregnant or breastfeeding and must not be pregnant within 6 mnths of treatment), <16, thyroid eye disease
What is the definitive management of hyperthyroid?
- Thyroidectomy
What is thyrotoxicosis and a resultant thyroid storm ?
- Thyrotoxicosis : effects of abnormal and excessive thyroid hormone
- Thyroid storm : life threatening complication of thyrotoxicosis often precipitated by thyroid surgery, trauma, infection of acute iodine overload.
Features of a thyroid stome ?
- Fever > 38.5ºC
- Tachycardia
- Confusion and agitation
- N&V
- HTN
- HF
- Abnormal liver function test - jaundice may be seen clinically
How is thyroid storm management
-1st line = IV propanolol
- Paracetamol for symptoms
- Anti-thyroid drugs (e.g. methimazole, propylthiouracil)
what is De Quervain’s thyrodisitis and it’s 3 stages ?
- Subacute thyroditis
- Thyrotoxicosis
- Hypothyroidism
- Return to normal
How does the thyrotoxic phase of de quervain’s present and how is it managed
- Thyroid swelling and tenderness, flu like illness and raised CRP/ESR
- Self limiting : NSAIDS for pain, BB for hyperthyroidism and levothyroxine for hypothyroidism
Briefly explain thyroid hormone synthesis
- Blood supplies iodine
- Transported into follicular cells of thyroid
- Here, thyroidperoxidase converts iodine to iodide
- Iodide then attaches to tyrosine residues on thyroglobulin forming T3 and T4
Define primary and secondary hypothyroidism
- Primary : thyroid produces inadequate T3 and T4, leading to raised TSH
- Secondary : inadequate TSH release leading to low T3 and T4
Give 5 causes of primary hypothyroidism
- Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (most common)
- Iodine deficiency
- Lithium
- Amiodarone
- Hyperthyroidism treatment
Give 5 causes of secondary hypothyroidism
- Pituitary adenomas
- Pituitary surgery
- Radiotherapy
- Sheehan’s syndrome : post-partum haemorrhage cause avascular necrosis of pituitary gland
- Trauma
Give the general features of hypothyroidism
- General : weight gain, cold intolerance, fatigue
- Skin : dry skin, coarse scalp hair, loss of lateral aspect of eyebrow
- GI : constipation
- Gynae : menorrhagia
- Neuro : decreased tendon reflexes, carpal tunnel
What is the mainstay of treatment for hypothyroidism and its SE
- Levothyroxine
- SE : hyperthyroid, reduced bone mineral density, worsening of angina, AF
What is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
- Autoimmune condition causing inflammation of the thyroid gland
- Is associated with anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and anti-thyroglobulin (Tg) antibodies
What are the features of Hashimoto’s and what is it associated with ?
- Hypothyroidism, firm and non tender goitre
- Associated with : other autoimmune conditions and MALT lymphoma
What is the most common cause of acromegaly
- Pituitary adenoma
what rarely causes acromegaly
- Ectopic GHRH or GH release by cancer (lung/pancreatic)
What are the general features of acromegaly (6)
- Frontal bossing
- Coarse sweaty skin
- Large nose
- Macroglossia
- Large hands and feet
- Large protruding jaw
What are the mass effects of a pituitary adenoma causing acromegaly ?
- Headache
- Bitemporal hemianopia
What are the investigations for acromegaly ?
- IGF-1 levels (produced by the liver).
- Growth hormone suppression test - no suppression of GH to <2mu/L after 75g glucose drink
- Pituitary MRI to determine presence of pituitary adeoma
What is the 1st line management of acromegaly
- Trans-sphenoidal surgery to remove a pituitary adenoma
- +/- external radiotherapy
What are the medical manegement options of acromegaly
- Pegvisomant : SC injection, GH receptor antagonist.
- Somatostatin analogue (ocreotide) - blocks GH release from pituitary.
- Dopamine agonist (bromocriptine) : inhibits GH release from pituitary, less effect than ocreotide.
Give 5 complications of acromegaly
- HTN
- T2DM
- Cardiomyopathy (hypertrophic)
- Colorectal cancer
- Bilateral carpal tunnel
Define Cushing’s syndrome and Cushing’s disease
- Syndrome : features of prolonged high levels cortisol
- Disease : prolonged raised cortisol due to pituitary adenoma secreting ACTH
What are the possible causes of cushing’s syndrome
- ACTH dependent : cushing’s disease, ectopic ACTH product (SCLC)
- ACTH independent : iatrogenic steroids, adrenal adenoma/carcinoma
- Pseudo cushing’s : due to alcohol excess or severe depression
What are the features of cushing’s syndrome (7) ?
- ‘Full moon’ face
- ‘Buffalo hump’
- Muscle wasting in the extremeties
- Easy bruising and poor skin healing
- Abdominal striae
- Central obesity
- Hyperpigmentation in Cushing’s disease due to raised ACTH
What are the metabolic effects of Cushing’s syndrome
- HTN
- T2DM
- Osteoporosis
- Cardiac hypertrophy and increased risk of CVD
- Dyslipidaemia
Where is cortisol released from
- Zona fasciculata in the adrenal cortex
How is Cushing’s syndrome investigated ?
- 1st line = Low dose overnight dexamethasone suppression (screening to exclude cushing’s)
- Low dose 24 hour (used in suspected cushing’s)
- High dose 24 hour (used to determine cause)
Explain the dexamethasone suppression tests
- Overnight : dexamethasone (1mg) given at night. Check cortisol 9am. No suppression = further assessment.
- Low dose 24 hr : dexamethasone (0.5mg) every 6 hrs for 8 doses. Cortisol checked at 9am on day 1 and 9am day 3. No suppression = cushing’s syndrome
- High dose 24hr. Same as above but dose at 2mg. Cushing’s syndrome = cortisol will be suppressed. Adrenal adenoma or ectopic ACTH = no suppression.
What is the primary treatment of Cushing’s syndrome ?
- Treat underlying cause :
~ Trans-sphenoidal removal of pituitary adenoma
~ Surgical removal of adrenal tumour
~ Surgical removal of tumour producing ectopic ACTH
What is Nelson’s syndrome
- Development of ACTH-producing pituitary tumour after sugical removal of both adrenal glands due to lack of cortisol and negative feedback
What medical treatment can be used to reduce production of cortisol in adrenals?
- Metyrapone
What does adrenal insufficiency result in a lack of ?
Steroid hormones - cortisol and aldosterone
What is the most common primary cause of adrenal insuficiency ?
- Addison’s : autoimmune destruction of the adrenal glands resulting in a lack of cortisol and aldosterone
What is secondary adrenal insufficiency and 5 causes ?
- The pituitary produces a lack of ACTH
- Pituitary tumour
- Radiotherapy
- Sheehan’s
- Surgery to pituitary
- Trauma
What is tertiary adrenal insufficiency and the most common cause?
- Lack of CRH from the hypothalamus
- Long term oral steroid use = hypothalamus suppression. Once expogenous steroids are stopped the hypothalamus doesn’t ‘wake up’ and leads to a lack of endogenous steroid release.
How does adrenal insufficiency present ?
- Fatigue
- Muscle weakness
- Weight loss
- Thirst and salt craving
- N&V
What is a sign of adrenal insufficiency caused by Addison’s?
- Bronze hyperpigmentation of the skin, particularly in the palmar creases.
- Due to excess ACTH stimulating melanocytes to produce melanin.
What biochemical findinds are seen in adrenal insufficiency and why ?
- Hyponatraemia and hyperkalaemia : aldosterone increases Na+ reabsoprtion and K+ secretion. A lack of it causes this.
- Hypoglycaemia
- Raised creatinine and urea due to dehydration
- Hypercalcaemia
What is the investigation of choice for diagnosing adrenal insufficiency
- Short Synacthen test
What is the short synacthen test ?
- Synthetic ACTH is given and blood cortisol measured 30 and 60 mins after the dose
- Cotrisol level should at least double.
- Failure = adrenal insufficiency
Once adrenal insufficiency is established how is primary or secondary insufficiency determined?
- ACTH level
- It will be high in primary and low in secondary
How is adrenal insufficieny managed ?
- Replace steroids : hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone
- Give steroid carrd, ID tag and emergency letter.
- Double glucocorticoid dose in acute illness.
how many an adrenal crisis present ?
- Reduced consciousness
- Hyperkalaemia and hyponatraemia
- Hypoglycaemia
- Hypotension
How is an adrenal crisis managed ?
- Hydrocortisone 100 mg IM or IV. Then 6hrly until stable
- IV fluids (1L normal saline) over 30-60 mins or with dextrose if hypoglycaemic
Define hyperaldosteronism and Conn’s syndrome
- Hyperaldosteronism = raised aldosterone
- Conn’s = raised aldosterone due to an adrenal adenoma producing too much aldosterone
Explain the role of the renin-angiotensisn-aldosterone system in blood pressure
- Juxtaglomerular cells in the affterent arterioles of the kidney detect a low BP
- They release renin
- Renin converts angiotensinogen produced by the liver to angiotensin I
- ACE in the lungs converts angiotensin I to angiotensin II
- Angiotensisn II stimulates aldosterone release from the adrenal glands - zona glomerulosa
What is the role of aldosterone in low BP?
- Increases sodium resorption from distal tubule
- Increases potassium secretion from. distal tubule
- Increases hydrogen secretion from collecting ducts
What is primary hyperaldosteronism and give 3 causes
- Adrenal glands produce too much aldosterone.
- Renin is low as suppressed due to high BP.
- Bilateral adrenal hyperplasia.
- Conn’s - adrenal adenoma
- Familial
What is secondary hyperaldosteronism and 3 causes
- Excessive renin stimulates release of aldosterone
- Renal artery stenosis
- HF
- Liver cirrhosis and ascites
What is the screening test for hyperaldosteronism
Aldosterone-to-renin ratio
~ High aldosterone with low renin = primary
~ High aldosterone with high renin = secondary
what investigations are used to determine underlying cause of hyperaldosteronism ?
- High resolution CT for adrenal tumour or adrenal hyperplasia and adrenal vein sampling to differentiate adenoma and bilateral hyperplasia
- Renal artery imaging for renal artery stenosis
what is the medical management of hyperaldosteronism ?
- Adenoma : laparoscopic adrenalectomy
- Hyperplasia :Aldosterone antagonists : eplerenone, spironolactone
What is SIADH ?
- Increased release of ADH (vasopressin) from the posterior pituitary
What is the action of ADH
- Increases water resorption form the collecting ducts of the kidneys
What are the 2 possible sources of excessive ADH release?
- Increased secretion by the posterior pituitary
- Ectopic ADH release by a SCLC
What is the result of excessive ADH release ?
- Increased water resorption
- This dilutes the blood
- Causes hyponatraemia
- Excessive fluid doesn’tm usually cause fluid overload = euvolaemic hyponatraemia
what is the effect on the urine in SIADH
- It becomes more concentrated
- High urine osmolality
- High urine sodium
If not asymptomatic how migh SIADH present ?
- Headache, fatigue, muscle aches and cramps, confusion
- Severe = seizures and reduced consciousness
What are 3 more common causes of SIADH
- Post operative
- Ectopic ADH release from SCLC
- Medications (SSRI’s / carbamazepine)
What are the 5 clinical features of SIADH ?
- Euvolaemia
- Hyponatraemia
- Low serum osmolality
- High urine osmolality
- High urine sodium
How is SIADH managed?
- Admission (If Na+ <125)
- Tx underlying cause
- Fluid restriction (750-1000ml per day)
- Vasopression receptor antagonists (tolvaptan) -> block ADH receptors
Why does the sodium need to be corrected slowly in SIADH
- Risk of osmotic demyelination syndrome
what is the cause of T1DM?
- Pancreas unable to produce adequate insulin
Explain where insulin is produced and it’s role
- Anabolic hormone , acts to reduce blood glucose
- Beta cells in the islets of langerhans of the pancreas
- Cells to take up glucose
- Liver and muscle to convert glucose to glycogen (glycogenesis)
Explain where glucagon is produced and its role
- Catabolic hormone, acts to increase blood glucose
- Alpha cells, islets of langerhans
- Causes liver to breakdown glycogen to glucose (glycogenolysis)
- Causes liver to convert protein and fats to glucose (gluconeogenesis)
Explain where and why ketones are produced
- Produced by the liver when there is inadequate glucose and depleted glycogen stores
- Fatty acids - ketones
- Acidic properties of ketones buffered by the kidneys
In what 2 ways can T1DM present ?
- DKA
- Signs of hyperglycaemia and dehydration (polyuria, polydipsia, weight loss)
What is the diagnostic criteria for T1DM
- If symptomatic : fasting glucose > or equal to 7.0mmol/l OR random glucose > or equal to 11.1mmol/L
- If asymptomatic, above needs to be demonstrated on 2 separate occassions.
When may autoantibodies or serum c-peptide be used for diagnosis of T1DM?
- When there is doubt between T1DM & T2DM.
- C peptide is a measure of inuslin production : it will be LOW in T1DM
- T1DM autoantibodies are : anti-islet cell, anti-GAD and anti-insulin
What is required for a diagnosis of DKA
- Hyperglycaemia (>11mol/l) or known DM
- Ketones (>3mmol/L) or +2 on dipstick
- pH <7.3 or bicarbonate <15mmol/l (metabolic acidosis )
How does DKA present
- Abdo pain
- Polyuria, polydipsia, dehydration
- Kussmaul respiration
- Acetone ‘pear drop’ smelling breath
why does DKA cause dehydration
- Hyperglycaemia eventually overwhelms the kidneys
- Glucose is lost in urine
- This causes water to be lost in the urine leading to polyuria and severe dehydration
Explain the patholphysiology behind the potassium imbalance in DKA
- Insulin is required to draw K+ into cells
- Without it, total body potassium is low
- This can lead to hypoklaemia was treatment begins