Endocrinology Flashcards
WHAT IS ACROMEGALY?
What is it caused by?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54h3IUbvHDU
This is an abnormal enlargement of the extremities of the skeleton caused by hypersecretion of the pituitary growth hormone after epiphysial fusion.
What does the hypothalamus release? What does this cause? In acromegaly
Release growth hormone releasing hormone
Stimulates pituitary to release growth hormone
Somatostatin (growth hormone inhibiting hormone)
Decrease growth hormone release from pituitary
What is the difference between gigantism and acromegaly?
Difference in when growth hormone is released
gigantism - Before the closure of the epiphyseal plates, end up very tall
Acromegaly - After the closure of the epiphyseal plates
What is the cause of acromegaly?
- 95% of cases are due to a growth hormone secreting pituitary adenoma
- less than 3% of cases are due to ectopic GHRH production - carcinoid tumours especially bronchial, pancreatic islet tumours or adrenal tumours
- less than 2% of cases result from ectopic GH secreting pancreatic islet tumours
What are the symptoms of acromegaly?
Go through each topic RS etc
RS
Snoring
GI
“Wonky bite” (malocclusion)
Int
↑Sweating
Endo
↑Weight, raised prolactin –> galactorrhoea
UG
↓libido; amenorrhoea
MSK
Arthralgia; backache
Neuro
Acroparaesthesia; headache
What are the signs of acromegaly?
Skin darkening
Acanthosis nigricans
Face
Big supraorbital ridge
Interdental separation
Macroglossia
Prognathism
Laryngeal dyspnoea
Spade-like hands and feet
Tight rings
Carpal tunnel syndrome
What are the complications of acromegaly?
- *Impaired glucose tolerance** (40%)
- *Diabetes Mellitus** (15%)
Vascular
HTN
LVH
Cardiomyopathy
Arrhythmias
Colon cancer
How can you diagnose acromegaly?
IGF-1 (somatomedin) tells tissues to grow
Elevated
Glucose tolerance test
75g or glucose
Wait 90 mins measure growth hormone levels
Will stay elevated! Should decrease
Growth hormone levels
Not usually used becaue pulsatile
CT or MRI
Could be no tumour, could be ectopic source
What is the treatment of acromegaly?
Trans-sphenoidal Surgery
Radiation
Medications - suppress GH
Somatostatin anaologues
Octreotide
Recombinant GH receptor antagonist
Pegvisomant
WHAT IS CUSHING SYNDROME?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea1sXgd5ui8
Cushing’s syndrome refers to the set of clinical features resulting from persistently and inappropriately elevated levels of glucocorticoid. Usually the condition is iatrogenic
What is the outer layer of the adrenal glands split into?
Zona glomerulosa
Zona fasiculata
Zona reticularis
What is the zona festiculata?
Largest zone
Stimulate cells in this zone to secrete cortisol
Cortisol is a glucocorticoids
What does excess cortisol lead to?
Overload of what it normally reacts with
Severe muscle, bone and skin breakdown
Hypertension
Inhibit gonadotropin releasing hormone from hypothalamus
Dampens inflammatory response
More susceptible to infections
Impair normal brain function
What does elevated breakdown of muscle, bone and skin cause?
(What does this produce)
Elevated blood glucose
High insulin levels
Targets adipocytes in center of body
Activates lipoprotein lipase
Accumulate more fat molecules
Cause
Moon face
Buffalo neck hump
How is hypertension caused by excess cortisol?
- Amplifies effect of catecholamines on blood vessels
- Cortisol cross reacts with mineralcorticoid recptors
- Mineralcorticoids released from zona glomerulosa
- Triggers mineralcorticoid effect which is increasing blood pressure by retaining fluid - ALDOSTERONE
What are the causes of Cushing’s?
Exogenous cortisol
Medications (steroids)
Endogenous
Pituitary adenoma
Cushing disease
Cells don’t invade other tissues
Small cell lung cancer
ACTH
Tumour of the adrenal glands
Adrenal carciomas
Adrenal adenoma
What are the symptoms of Cushing’s?
Muscle wasting and thin extemities
Easy brusing
Abdominal striae
Fractues - osteoporisis
Full moon shaped face
Buffalo hump
Truncal obesity
Hypergylcemia
Diabetes mellitius
Hypertension
Cardiovascular disease risk
Increase vulnerability to infections
Poor wound healing
Amenorrhea
Psychiatric
What is the diagnosis of Cushing’s?
-
ENDOGENOUS / 24 urine sample
– Measuring free cortisol - urine 3.5-4.5 microgram/day
– 1 mg Dexamethasone suppresion test
Low dose of dexamethasone (steroid)
Supressess ACTH production
Should cuase decrease cortisol levels <2 - 2mg Dexamethasone Supression Test
-
ACTH plasma levels checked
Low ACTH gives diagnosis of
Adrenal adenomas and carcinoma
High ACTH gives diagnosis of
Cushing disease and ectopic ACTH production
4. 8mg Dexamethasone Supression
Pituitary - Cortisol + ACTH suppressed
Ectopic - Cortisol + ACTH NOT suppressed
What types of imaging can be used for Cushing’s?
MRI of pituitary
CT of adrenals
CT of chest abdomen or pelvis for ectopic
What is the treatment for Cushing’s?
Exogenous
Drug is gradually stopped
Adrenal crisis if too fast
Adrenal glands might be atrophied
Endogenous
Surgery
Adrenal steroid inhibitors - Ketoconazole and metyrapone
Most useful ectopic
What are you at risk of if you have your adrenals removed?
Nelson’s syndrome
Skin pigmentation increase
WHAT IS SYNDROME OF INAPPROPRIATE SECRETION OF ADH?
(Start with what it results in)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NHT8ERUBo0
Hyponatremia and hypo-osmolality
From inappropriate, continued secretion of ADH
Despite normal or increased plasma volume
Which results in impaired water excretion
What causes SIADH?
Drug-induced
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
- Carbamazepine
- Tricyclic antidepressants
Neoplastic
- Small cell lung cancer
- Mesothelioma
- GI tract malignancy
Pulmonary
- Pneumonia - especially Legionella and Mycoplasma
- Tuberculosis
CNS
- Tumour
- Meningitis, encephalitis
- Head injury
Miscellaneous
- Guillain–Barre syndrome
- Multiple sclerosis
- Acute intermittent porphyria
What are the symptoms caused by in SIADH?
Derived from decreased sodium in the blood
What are the symptoms of SIADH?
Stupor/coma
Anorexia (nausea and vomiting)
Lethargy
Tendon reflexes decreased
Limp muscles (weakness)
Orthostatic hypotension
Seizures/headache
Stomach cramping
What is the diagnosis of SIADH?
Sodium
- Plasma sodium concentration <135 mmol/l
- Urinary sodium concentration >30mmol/L
Osmolality
- Plasma osmolality <280 mOsmol/kg
- Urine osmolality > 100 mOsmol/kg
Other
- Patient clinically euvolaemic
- Absence of clinical or biochemical features of adrenal and thyroid dysfunction.
- No diuretic use (recent or past)
What is the treatment for SIADH?
Treat underlying cause
Acute
Hypertonic (3%) saline given via continuous infusion
Intravenous furosemide 20 to 40 mg
Chronic
For most other cases of mild-to-moderate SIADH, fluid restriction represents the least toxic therapy, and has generally been the treatment of choice
What is primary and secondary hypothyroidism?
Primary is a reduction in thyroxin (T4)
Secondary is a reduction in TSH
What are the causes of primary hypothyroidism?
Primary atrophic hypothyroidism (No goitre)
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (Goitre)
Iodine deficiency
Post-thyroidectomy / radioiodine / antithyroid drugs
Lithium / amiodarone
What are the causes of secondary hypothyroidism?
Hypopituitarism
What is the epidemology of hashimoto’s thyroiditis?
Older Women
What are the symptoms of hypothyroidism?
RS
Hoarse voice
GI
Constipation
Int
Cold intolerance
Endo
Weight gain
UG
Menorrhagia
MSK
Myalgia, weakness
Neuro / Psych
Tired, low mood, dementia
What are the signs of hypothyroidism?
- *B**radycardic
- *R**eflexes relax slowly
- *A**taxia (cerebellar)
- *D**ry, thin hair / skin
- *Y**awning / drowsy / coma
- *C**old hands +/- ↓T°C
- *A**scites
- *R**ound puffy face
- *D**efeated demeanour
- *I**mmobile +/- Ileus
- *C**CF
What are the investigations for hypothyroidism?
TFT
TSH RAISED
Lipids/cholesterol
High
FBC
Macrocytosis
What are the disease associations of hypothyroidism?
AUTOIMMUNE
Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Addison’s disease
Pernicious anaemia
Primary biliary cirrhosis
INHERITED
Turner’s syndrome
Down’s syndrome
Cystic fibrosis
What is the treatment of hypothyroidism?
Levothyroxine (T4)
Higher doses in the young
WHAT IS HASHIMOTO’s THYROIDITIS?
(inside hypothyroidism)
Autoimmune disease
T cell mediated attack
What are the symptoms of hasimoto’s thyroiditis?
Goitre or hypothyroidism or both
Enlargement is usually slow and painless but rarely, may be more rapid and painful
What are the investigations for hasmimoto’s thyroiditis?
The condition may be suspected clinically on the basis of the goitre with or without hypothyroidism.
- Serum TSH is usually raised
- Measurement of antithyroid antibodies reveal:
* *- Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPO)** (previously known as thyroid microsomal antibodies) - TPO HIGH titre
* *- Thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb)** - HIGH titre - Biopsy may be necessary to distinguish it from a carcinoma of the thyroid
What is the treatment of hasimoto’s thyroiditis?
If the patient is hypothyroid then oral thyroxine may keep the patient euthyroid and lead to resolution of the goitre.
WHAT IS HYPERTHYROIDISM?
Too much thyroid hormones
What are the causes of hyperthyroidism?
- GRAVES’ DISEASE
- TOXIC MULTINODULAR GOITRE
- EXOGENOUS (Iodine / T4 excess)
- DE QUERVAIN’S THYROIDITIS (post-viral)
What are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism?
CVS
Palpitations
GI
Diarrhoea
Int
Heat intolerance
Endo
↓Weight, ↑appetite
UG
Oligomenorrhoea +/- infertility
Neuro / Psych
Tremor, irritability, labile emotions
What are the signs of hyperthyroidism?
HANDS
Palmar erythema; warm, moist skin; fine tremor
PULSE
Tachycardia; SVT; AF
FACE
Thin hair; lid lag / retraction
NECK
Goitre; nodules; bruit
What are the investigations for hyperthyroidism?
TFT
Increase T4 and T4
FBC
Normocytic anaemia
ESR (↑)
Calcium (↑)
LFT (↑)
Thyroid autoantibodies
Visual fields, acuity, eye movements
What is the treatment for hyperthyroidism?
β-blockers
Propanolol(rapid control of symptoms)
Antithyroid medication
Carbimazole SE = AGRANULOCYTOSIS
Block and replace (carbimazole + thyroxine)
Radioiodine (131I)
Thyroidectomy
What happens in graves disease?
What are the triggers?
Autoimmune
IgG autoantibodies bind to and stimulate TSH receptors
Infection, stress, childbirth
What are the symptoms of graves disease?
- Hyperthyroidism
- Diffuse goitre
- Extrathyroid features:
-
Thyroid acropachy, a triad of:
Digital clubbing
Soft tissue swelling of the hands and feet
Periosteal new bone formation - Graves’ ophthalmology - 40% of cases
- Pretibial myxoedema - 5% of cases
- Thyroid acropachy - rare
- Onycholysis - not specific to Grave’s!!
-
Thyroid acropachy, a triad of:
What are the investigations for Grave’s disease?
- Serum TSH
- Free thyroxine (T4) & free or total triiodothyronine (T3
- Serum levels of antibodies to the TSH receptor
- Thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin autoantibodies
- Radioactive iodine uptake and scan
- Thyroid ultrasound scan
What is the treatment of Grave’s disease?
- Radioactive iodine - first-line
- Carbimazole
- Thyroidectomy
What are some causes of goitre?
Physiological
Graves’ disease
Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
De Quervain’s
WHAT ARE THE MOST LIKELY THYROID CELL TYPE CANCERS?
Papillary (60%)
Follicular (≤25%)
Medullary (5%)
Lymphoma (5%)
Anaplastic
What are some causes of thyroid cancer?
Low dose radiation
Radioiodine
A history of radiation exposure to the neck area is associated with increased risk of thyroid cancer
What are the symptoms of thyroid cancer?
A rapidly growing hard thyroid mass with lymphadenopathy and indicators of extrathyroidal invasion
e.g. hoarseness, dysphagia is suggestive of maligancy.
What are the investigations for thyroid cancer?
Fine needle biopsy - the most effective method of distinguishing benign from malignant nodules.
Tumour products - basal and pentagastrin-stimulated serum calcitonin distinguishes medullary carcinoma.
Ultrasound - not useful as a primary test but may help to distinguish cystic lesions
Thyroid scanning with radioiodine - thyroid cancer is characteristically
Chest X-ray - lung secondaries
What is the treatment for thyroid cancer?
Most thyroid tumours are treated surgically with follow up radioiodine ablation
WHAT IS PRIMARY ADRENAL INSUFFIENCY?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6XcBp8EV7Q
The adrenal glands can’t produce enough hormones
Aldosterone and cortisol
Primary refers to the adrenal glands themselves
What are the different layers of the adrenal glands?
Cortex
Zona glomerulosa
Zona fasiculata
Zona reticularis
Medulla
What does each layer of the adrenal cortex produce?
- Zona glomerulosa - Aldosterone
- Zona fasiculata - Cortisol and glucocorticoids
- Zona reticularis - Make androgens E.g. deyhydroepiandosterone, Precursor to testosterone
What does the renin, angiotensin aldosterone system do?
Decrease potassium
Increase sodium
Increase blood volume and pressure
What are the causes of primary adrenal insuffiency?
In developed countries
Autoimmune destruction
Unclear reason
Developing countries
Tuberculosis
Infection spreads from lungs to adrenal glands
Metastatic carcinoma