Endocrinology Flashcards
1
Q
Cushing’s syndrome from excess ACTH
- Causes
- Disease definition
- Disease specific clinical feature
- Management
A
- Cushing’s disease, or non-pituitary ectopic ACTH producer (e.g. Small cell lung cancer)
- Raised cortisol level specifically due to raised ACTH from a pituitary tumour
- Hyperpigmentation as ACTH activates melanocytes
- Resection / radio / chemo
2
Q
Cushing’s syndrome
- Causes
- Symptoms (‘CUSHING’ mnemonic)
- Pseudocushing’s - cause
- Screening test
- Complications (3)
- Test to determine whether disease or not
A
- Excess cortisol, or excess ACTH causing raised cortisol
- Central obesity/comedones, urinary free cortisol, striae, hirsuitism, immunodeficiency, neoplasms, glucose (raised)
- Alcohol excess
- 24 hour urinary free cortisol
- Cardiac problems, diabetes, osteoporosis
- Overnight dexamethasone suppression test
3
Q
Cushing’s syndrome from raised cortisol
- Causes (2)
- Management
A
- Steroids, adrenal carcinoma / adenoma
2. Gradually reduce steroids, or resection/radio/chemo
4
Q
Dexamethasone suppression test results
- Cortisol down from low or high dose
- No change after low dose, down after high dose
- No change even after high dose
- Causes of false positives (3)
A
- No pathology - dexamethasone suppresses cortisol
- Cushing’s disease - high levels able to suppress excess ACTH from pituitary
- Cushing’s syndrome high cortisol independent of ACTH, or ectopic ACTH e.g. SCLC
- Obesity, alcoholism, chronic renal failure
5
Q
Aldosterone
- Secreted from
- Action
- High - symptoms
- High - signs (2)
A
- Adrenal gland
- Increased Na+ / water reabsorption and K+ secretion
- From low K+ poor vision, confusion, headaches, renal pain, muscle ache / weakness / spasm/ tingling, numbness, polydipsia
- Fluid overload, HTN
6
Q
Primary hyperaldosteronism
- Commonest cause
- Other causes (2)
- 1st line investigation
- Blood results
- Management (2)
A
- Conn syndrome (aldosterone producing adenoma)
- Adrenal carcinoma, adrenal hyperplasia
- Renin:aldosterone ratio
- High Na+, low K+, metabolic alkalosis, LOW renin
- Aldosterone antagonist (e.g. spironolactone), calcium channel blockers
7
Q
Secondary hyperaldosteronism
- Pathophysiology
- Causes (5)
- Blood results
Bartter’s syndrome
- Inheritance pattern
- Pathophysiology
- Presentation
- Bloods
- Urine test results
- Management
A
- Increased renin causing increased aldosterone levels
- Renal artery stenosis, chronic oedema, cardiac failure, liver failure, hypertension
- High Na+, low K+, metabolic alkalosis
Metabolic alkalosis, HIGH renin - Autosomal recessive
- Salt wasting via sodium and chloride leak in LoH due to transporter mutation
- Children - failure to thrive, polyuria, polydipsia, normal BP
- Low K+, metabolic alkalosis
- High urinary K+ and Cl-
- K+ replacement, NSAIDs, ACE-i
8
Q
Primary adrenal insufficiency
- AKA
- Pathophysiology
- Symptoms
- Bloods
- Key diagnostic test
- Test result
- General management
Addisonian crisis
- Symptoms
- Precipitating factors
- Management
A
- Addison’s disease
- Autoimmune adrenal cortex destruction
- Hyperpigmentation, collapse, unexplained abdominal pain/vomiting
- Low Na+/ glucose/Hb, high K+/Ca2+/urate/eosinophils
- ACTH stimulation - Synacthen tests
- Cortisol remains low in long and short tests (high in both normally)
- Replace steroids via hydrocortisone 2-3x daily, mineralocorticoid (to treat postural hypotension)
- Abdominal pain, vomiting, hypotension, tachycardia, collapse, hypoglycaemia, hypovolaemic shock
- Infection, trauma, surgery, missed medication
- Bloods (cortisol + ACTH), hydrocortisone 100mg IV stat, IV saline bolus, monitor BM for hypos, investigate/treat infection
9
Q
Hypoadrenalism signs
- Low cortisol
- Low aldosterone
- Low androgen
A
- Hyperpigmentation, hypoglycaemia
- Low Na+, high K+, low BP (fluid and Na+ loss)
- Lack of pubic hair (females), generalised malaise
10
Q
SE of steroids
B E C L O M E T H A S O N E
A
Buffalo hump Easy bruising Cateracts Large appetite Obesity Moon face Euphoria Thin arms / legs / skin Hypertension / hyperglycaemia Avascular necrosis of femoral head Skin thinning Osteoporosis Negative nitrogen balance Emotional liability
11
Q
Secondary adrenal insuffiency
- Pathophysiology
- Causes (2)
- Important questions to ask
- Test results
- Signs to distinguish from Addison’s
A
- Dysfunction of hypothalamus, pituitary axis
- Iatrogenic (long term steroids), pituitary/hypothalamic problem (tumour/infection/infarct)
- Steroid use
- Low cortisol in short synacthen, cortisol rises in long synacthen test
- No hyperpigmentation (ACTH low), no electrolyte imbalance (aldosterone not low)
12
Q
ACTH levels in
1) Primary hypoadrenalism
2) Secondary hypoadrenalism
A
1) High
2) Low
13
Q
Type 2 DM
- Pathophysiology
- Diagnostic criteria
- C peptide
- 1st line management
- When to add 2nd line drug
- 2nd line drug if obese
A
- Long term high circulating blood glucose - loss of sensitivity to insulin
- Fasting glucose 7.0+ mmol/l and random glucose/OGTT 11.1+ mmol/l. If asymptomatic must meet criteria on 2 separate occasions
- High
- Lifestyle +/ metformin if 48+ mmol/mol
- HbA1c >58 mmol/mol (new target HbA1C is 53)
- DPP-4 inhibitors (e.g. sitagliptin)
14
Q
Hypercalcaemia
- Causes (4)
- Features (6 key)
- ECG finding
- Main therapy
A
- Metastases, hyperparathyroidism (primary/tertiary), myeloid, sarcoidosis
- Renal stones, abdominal groans (pain), polydipsia, bone pain, psychiatric overtones (depression)
- Shortened QT
- Fluid rehydration
15
Q
Hyperparathyroidism
Primary
- Commonest cause
- Other causes (2)
- Blood results
- Imaging - what does it show
- Management
- Associated neoplasm
Secondary
- Causes (3)
- Blood results
- Management
Tertiary
- Pathophysiology
- Blood results (serum Ca2+, vit D, PTH)
- Treatment
A
- Single parathyroid adenoma, then hyperplasia
- Diffuse parathyroid gland hyperplasia, carcinoma
- Serum Ca2+/ALP high, PTH high/normal, phosphate low, vit D normal
- USS, FNA, SESTANIBI (radionuclear scan) - bones have osteitis fibrosa cystica from severe resorption (phalange erosion/cyst/brown tumour), pepper pot skull
- Ressection, cinacalcet (increases sensitivity of parathyroid cells to Ca2+)
- MEN-1
- Renal failure (Vit D not activated), low vitamin D (osteomalacia), other osteomalacia
- PTH/phosphate/ALP high, serum Ca2+/ vit D low
- Alpha calcidol (replace vitamin D)
- Prolonged secondary so PTH becomes so high, calcium produced at very high level
- All high
- Correct vitamin D, should improve in a year or remove
16
Q
Hypocalcaemia
- Causes
- Clinical signs
- Blood tests
- Monitoring requirements
- Management
A
- Vit D deficiency, CKD, hypoparathyroidism, magnesium deficiency, blood transfusion
- Pins and needles, myalgia, tetany, arrhythmias, chvostek’s sign - (facial muscles twitch when facial nerve tapped)
- Ca2+, PTH, vit D, phosphate, magnesium, U+E
- ECG
- IV calcium glucose 10% 10ml 10 mins
17
Q
Hypoparathyroidism
- Commonest cause (secondary)
- Primary cause (gland failure)
- Blood results
- Pseudo cause
- Pseudo bloods
- Pseudo associates features
- Pseudopseudo features
A
- Iatrogenic - removal during thyroidecomy / post radiation
- Auto-immune, congenital e.g. Di George
- Low calcium, high phosphate, low PTH
- PTH resistance (genetic)
- Low calcium, high phosphate/PTH/ALP
- Low IQ, stature, shortened 4th + 5th metacarpals
- Similar phenotype to pseudo but normal biochemistry (genetic)
18
Q
Impaired glucose tolerance
- Fasting glucose -
- 2 hours post glucose load -
A
- 7+
2. 11.1
19
Q
Type 1 DM
- Presentation
- Diagnostic tests
- C peptide
- Management
- Blood glucose targets
- Other organs to monitor
- Genetics
- Daily monitoring requirements
A
- Age 12, polydipsia, polyuria, weight loss, +/- ketoacidosis
- FBC, BM, HbA1C, U+E, urine dip (ketones/glucose)
- Low
- Insulin
- 5-7 mmol/l on waking, 4-7 mmol/l before meals
- Eyes, renal, vascular
- HLA D3/D4 linked (Addison’s disease)
- At least 4x/day, including before meals + before bed
20
Q
DKA
- Presentation
- Precipitants
- Insulin infusion rate
- Blood result
- Product to add into rehyration fluid
- Complications
A
- Young person with abdominal pain, reduced GCS, confusion, N+V, diarrhoea, lethargy, tachypnoea ‘Kussmaul breathing’, dehydration
- Sepsis, not taking insulin, MI
- Fixed rate of 0.1 units/kg/hour w/ 0.9% NaCl
- High BM, high ketones, low pH, low potassium
- Potassium
- Cerebral oedema (if lower BM too quickly - look for headache, drowsiness, irritability, papilloedema, bradycardia, HTN)
21
Q
HbA1c target
- Managed by diet and lifestyle (+/- drug not causing hypoglycaemia)
- Taking a drug associated with hypoglycaemia (such as a sulphonylurea)
A
- 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) (this is level at which DM is diagnosed)
- 53 mmol/mol (7.0%)