Hyperadrenocorticism Flashcards
Common type of hyperadrenocoticism diagnosis
Cushing syndrome or Cushing’s disease
In most simple terms, what does hyperadrenocorticism refer to?
Elevated cortisol concentrations
Two common types of hyperadrenocorticism
-Pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH; Cushing disease) - 80% of cases
-Adrenal-dependent/pituitary independent/functional adrenocortical tumor (FAT) hyperadrenocorticism - 20% of cases
What happens in adrenal-dependent hyperadrenocosticism?
Uni- or bilateral tumor in adrenal gland(s) secretes extra cortisol
Most common clinical signs of hyperadrenocosticism
Clinical signs are often not noticed by the owner especially in early stages of disease.
-Polyuria
-Polydipsia
-Weight gain
-Alopecia
-Muscle atrophy
-“Pot-belly”
Other signs:
-Thin skin
-Hepatomegaly
-Lethargy
-Polyphagia
-Anestrus
-Excessive panting
-Testicular atrophy
-Hyperpigmented macules
-Neurologic signs
ACTH
adrenocorticotropic hormone
ALP
alkaline phosphatase
CLIP
corticotropin-like intermediate lobe peptide
cPLI
canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity
CRH
corticotropin releasing hormone
CIALP
cortisol induced alkaline phosphatase
eACTH
endogenous ACTH
FAT
functional adrenocortical tumor
HAC
hyperadrenocorticism
HC
hypercortisolism
HDDST
high dose dexamethasone suppression test
LDDST
low dose dexamethasone suppression test
PDH
pituitary dependent hyperadrenocorticism
SIALP
steroid induced alkaline phosphatase
UCCR
urine cortisol creatinine ratio
How can the basal cortisol concentration be used as a diagnostic test?
If the basal cortisol is <55nmol/l, hypercontisolism is unlikely - could be used in exclusion
For diagnosis of HC, basal plasma concentration is not a good test alone, because cortisol could rise because of physiologic reasons/stress
What is the HPA-axis?
Excess cortisol causes increased gluconeogenesis. How does this further affect the body?
Hyperglycemia –> Increased insulin secretion –> Increased fat synthesis –> Obesity, hyperlipidemia