Endocrinology Flashcards
what is cushing’s syndrome?
the signs and symptoms of prolonged abnormal elevated cortisol levels
what is cushing’s disease?
- where a pituitary adenoma is producing excess ACTH
- a cause of cushing’s syndrome
presentation of cushing’s syndrome? (hint: there’s a LOT)
- “lemon on matchsticks” (truncal obesity with proximal limb muscle wasting)
- abdo striae
- “moon face” (rounded)
- “buffalo hump” (fat pad on back)
- HTN
- T2DM or hyperglycaemia
- depression
- insomnia
- osteoporosis
- easy bruising
- poor skin healing
causes of cushing’s syndrome?
- exogenous steroids
- cushing’s disease
- adrenal adenoma
- paraneoplastic cushing’s
what is paraneoplastic cushing’s? commonest cause of this?
- when a tumour releases ACTH but it is NOT in the pituitary
- SCLC is commonest cause
what is ectopic ACTH?
ACTH released from anywhere other than the pituitary
diagnostic investigation for cushing’s syndrome?
dexamethasone suppression test
how is a dexamethasone suppression test carried out?
- patient takes a dose of dexamethasone at night
- cortisol and ACTH measured in the morning
how is the result of a dexamethasone suppression test interpreted?
- normal cortisol and ACTH suggest cushing’s syndrome
- if result is abnormal for a low dose test, do a high dose test next
results of dexamethasone suppression testing in adrenal adenoma?
- ACTH suppressed but cortisol NOT supressed
- this is independent of the pituitary (which produces cortisol)
results of dexamethasone suppression testing in pituitary adenoma?
- cortisol and ACTH both suppressed
- pituitary still functioning somewhat normally
- this is cushing’s disease
results of dexamethasone suppression testing in ectopic ACTH production?
- neither cortisol nor ACTH suppressed
- it’s from an external source
investigations in cushing’s syndrome? hint: don’t forget ectopic causes
- dex suppression test
- 24h urinary free cortisol (high)
- FBC (raised WCC)
- UEs (K+ low if aldosterone also being secreted)
- MRI brain (pit adenoma)
- CT chest (SCLC)
- CT abdo (adrenal adenomas)
management of cushing’s syndrome? hint: underlying cause
- trans-sphenoidal removal of pituitary adenoma
- surgery for adrenal tumour
- surgery for source of ectopic ACTH
what can be done about adrenal tumours which cannot be removed?
remove both adrenal glands and give lifelong replacement steroid hormones instead
which 2 steroids are deficient in adrenal insufficiency?
- cortisol
- aldosterone
what is addison’s disease? commonest cause?
- primary adrenal insufficiency
- autoimmune is commonest cause
what is tertiary adrenal insufficiency? commonest cause?
- reduced CRH release from the hypothalamus
- long-term steroid use
how can tertiary adrenal insufficiency be prevented?
taper down long-term steroids slowly
presentation of adrenal insufficiency?
- fatigue and weakness (most common)
- nausea
- cramps
- abdo pain
- reduced libido
signs O/E of adrenal insufficiency?
- bronze hyperpigmentation (addison’s), seen especially in palmar creases
- (postural) hypotension
what causes bronze skin in addison’s disease?
- increased circulating ACTH
- ACTH stimulates melanocytes
- increased melanin production
investigations and findings in adrenal insufficiency? hint: most are on bloods
- UEs (low Na+, high K+)
- early morning cortisol
- short synacthen test (diagnostic)
- ACTH levels (high in addison’s, low in secondary insufficiency)
- adrenal cortex antibodies (autoimmune)
- 21-hydroxylase antibodies (autoimmune)
- CT / MRI adrenals
diagnostic test for adrenal insufficiency?
short synacthen test
what is synacthen?
synthetic ACTH
how is the short synacthen test carried out?
- give synacthen at 8am
- measure cortisol at baseline
- then after 30 mins
- then after 60 mins
what is the result of the short synacthen test in a healthy person?
cortisol should at least double
if cortisol fails to double on the short synacthen test, what does this indicate?
primary adrenal insufficiency (addison’s)
management of adrenal insufficiency?
- steroid replacements
- hydrocortisone for cortisol
- fludrocortisone for aldosterone
- double doses in acute illness
signs of addisonian crisis?
everything low but K+ high
- reduced consciousness
- hypotension
- hypoglycaemia
- hyponatraemia
- hyperkalaemia
- patient looks very unwell
triggers of addisonian crisis?
- could be first presentation of addison’s disease
- infection
- trauma
- other acute illness
management of addisonian crisis?
- IV hydrocortisone 100mg stat
- repeat 6 hourly
- IV fluid resus
- correct hypoglycaemia
- monitor electrolytes and fluid closely
TFT findings in hyperthyroidism? hint: different if pituitary source
- low TSH, high if pituitary adenoma
- high T3 and T4
TFT findings in hypothyroidism? hint: different if pituitary / hypothalamic source
- high TSH
- low TSH if pituitary / hypothalamic cause (secondary hypothyroidism)
- low T3 and T4
in which conditions are anti-TPO antibodies present?
- grave’s disease
- hashimoto’s thyroiditis
in which conditions are antithyroglobulin antibodies present?
- grave’s disease
- hashimoto’s thyroiditis
- thyroid cancer
in which conditions are TSH receptor antibodies present?
grave’s disease
what is the difference between hyperthyroidism and thyrotoxicosis?
- hyperthyroidism describes excessive thyroid hormone production by the thyroid
- thyrotoxicosis means excess of thyroid hormone in the body
what is grave’s disease? describe the pathophysiology
- autoimmune primary hyperthyroidism
- TSH receptor antibodies mimic TSH and stimulate the thyroid TSH receptors
commonest cause of hyperthyroidism?
grave’s disease
describe toxic multinodular goitre
nodules develop on the thyroid which keep producing thyroid hormone, independent to the feedback loop
what is exophthalmos? which condition is it seen in? what causes it?
- eyeball bulging from socket
- seen in grave’s disease
- is a direct reaction to TSH receptor antibodies
describe pretibial myxoedema. which condition is it seen in? what causes it?
- discoloured, waxy oedematous skin over shins
- grave’s disease
- is a direct reaction to TSH receptor antibodies
presentation of hyperthyroidism?
- anxious, irritable
- heat intol, sweating
- tachycardia
- weight loss
- fatigue
- diarrhoea
- sexual dysfunction
which features in presentation are unique to grave’s disease?
- diffuse goitre without nodules
- bilateral exophthalmos
- pretibial myxoedema
which features in presentation are suggestive of toxic mulitnodular goitre?
- goitre with firm nodules felt in neck
- usually aged 50+
describe the presentation in de quervain’s thyroiditis?
- viral infection with fever
- neck pain / tenderness
- dysphagia
- hyperthyroidism followed by hypothyroidism
prognosis and management of de quervain’s thyroiditis?
- self-limiting condition
- supportive treatment, e.g. NSAIDs, BBs
what is the other name for a thyroid storm? describe the presentation of this
- thyrotoxic crisis
- pyrexia
- tachycardia
- delirium
management of a thyrotoxic storm?
- fluid resus if needed
- BBs
- propylthiouracil
- hydrocortisone
management of hyperthyroidism?
- 1st line: carbimazole
- 2nd: propylthiouracil
- radioactive iodine (drink)
- BB (e.g. propanolol)
- surgery
causes of hypothyroidism?
- hashimoto’s thyroiditis
- iodine deficiency
- overtreatment of hyperthyroidism
- drugs
- tumours
- infections
- sheehan syndrome
- radiation
presentation of hypothyroidism?
- depressed
- weight gain
- fatigue
- dry skin
- coarse hair, hair loss
- fluid retention (oedema, pleural effusions, ascites)
- amenorrhoea
- constipation
TFT findings in primary hypothyroidism?
- TSH high
- T3 and T4 low
TFT findings in secondary hypothyroidism?
- TSH low
- T3 and T4 low
management of hypothyroidism?
PO levothyroxine
how is levothyroxine treatment monitored?
- measure TSH levels monthly until stable
- if TSH is high, increase levothyroxine dose
- if TSH is low, decrease levothyroxine dose
what does “diffuse high uptake” on a radioisotope scan of the thyroid suggest?
grave’s disease
what does “focal high uptake” on a radioisotope scan of the thyroid suggest?
- toxic multinodular goitre
- adenoma
what do “cold areas” on a radioisotope scan of the thyroid suggest?
thyroid cancer
which cells produce glucagon? where are these found?
- alpha cells
- islets of langerhans in pancreas
which cells produce insulin? where are these found?
- beta cells
- islets of langerhans in pancreas
how does insulin reduce blood glucose levels? hint: 2 ways
- causes body cells to absorb glucose to use
- causes muscle and liver cells to absorb glucose and store it as glycogen
what is ketogenesis? when is it done?
- liver converting fatty acids into ketones
- done when both glucose and glycogen supplies are low
what is the normal blood glucose range?
4.4 - 6.1 mmol/L
pathophysiology of T1DM?
- pancreas unable to produce enough insulin
- no glucose gets absorbed out of the blood
- causes hyperglycaemia
- autoimmune
what is the body’s initial response to rising blood ketone levels?
kidneys produce bicarbonate to counteract the acidity
how does insulin affect potassium? what happens in DKA? what can happen when DKA is treated?
- insulin causes cells to absorb potassium
- in DKA, serum potassium is high or normal because there’s not enough insulin so none of it is being absorbed, but the kidneys carry on excreting it
- however, total body potassium is low
- treating with insulin can cause a severe hypokalaemia
overall effects of DKA on body?
- hyperglycaemia
- dehydration
- ketosis
- metabolic acidosis (with low bicarbonate)
- potassium imbalance
presentation of DKA?
- polyuria
- polydipsia
- N+V
- acetone smell on breath (peardrops)
- kussmaul breathing (deep, laboured breaths)
- dehydration
- hypotension (caused by dehydration)
- altered consciousness
diagnostic criteria for DKA?
- blood glucose >11mmol/L
- blood ketones >3mmol/L
- pH <7.3
FIG PICK: management of DKA?
- Fluids (IV fluid resus)
- Insulin infusion
- Glucose (monitor closely, consider dextrose)
- Potassium (monitor 4-hourly and correct)
- Infection (treat underlying triggers)
- Chart (check fluid balance)
- Ketones (monitor them)
what is the max rate at which potassium can be infused?
10mmol/L