Internal Medicine: Endocrinology: Adrenal Endocrinopathies Flashcards
What are the layers of the adrenal gland?
- Capsule
- Glomerulosa- cortex
- Fasiculata- cortex
- Reticularis- cortex
- Medulla
What do the following layers of the adrenal gland show?
1. Glomerulosa
2. Fasiculata
3. Reticularis
4. Medulla
- Mineralocorticoids
- Glucocorticoids
- Androgens
- Adrenaline, nor-adrenaline
What are examples of mineralocorticoids
Aldosterone
* influence salt and water balance
What is an example of glucocorticoids?
- Cortisol
- Corticosterone
What are examples of androgens?
- Testosterone
- DHT
What is ACTH?
Adrenocorticotropic hormone
What is hyperadrenocorticism?
Over production of cortical (cortex) hormones
Cortisols the baddie
What are the different ways hyperadrenocorticism can be caused?
- PDH- pituitary dependent HAC
- ADH- adrenal dependent HAC
- FAT- functioning adrenal tumour
What hormone is required for the production of cortisol and aldosterone?
Pregenalone
What are the effects of cortisol?
- Breakdown of adipose to fatty acids
- Affects hair follicles
- Gluconeogenesis, insulin resistance
- Reduced bone formation
- Reduced calcium absorption in intestine
- Down regulated the synthesis of collagen
- Raises free amino acids in serum
- Inhibits collagen formation
- Decreasing amino acid uptake by muscle
- Inhibits protein synthesis
- Reduction of IgA, IgM IgE
- Delayed wound healing
- Increases water diuresis, GFR, renal plasma flow
- Increases renal sodium retention of potassium excretion
- Increases intestinal sodium and water absorption and potassium excretion
Who gets hyperadrenocorticism?
- Medium to older age dogs
- PDH: more common in small breeds
- ADH: more common in large breeds
What are common clinical signs of cushings?
- Polydipsia
- Polyuria
- Polyphagia
- Panting
- Abdominal distention
- Endocrine alopecia
- Hepatomegaly
- Muscle weakness
- Systemic hypertension
What would haematology, biochemistry and urinalysis show for cushings?
Haematology
* Neutrophilic leukocytosis
* Lymphopenia
* Eosinopenia
* Thrombocytosis
* Mild erythrocytosis
Serum biochemistry
* Increased ALKP
* Increased ALT
* Hypercholesteraemia
* Hypertriglceridaemia
* Hyperglycaemia
Urinalysis
* Specific gravity
* < 1.013- 1.02
* Proteinuria
* Urinary tract infection
Also- reduced T4, Normal TSH
How can cushings be definitively diagnosed?
Low dose dexamethasone supression test
- 0.01mg/kg dexamethaons
- Blood sample at 3 and 8 hours
- Avoid feeding during test
- High sensitivity
- Lower but ok specificity
Best screening test
How is the ACTH stimulation test done?
- 5 ug/kg ACTH
- Blood sample at 0 and 1
- Avoid feeding
- Sensitivity higher for PDH
- Specificity ok
Less effective
How can urine cortisol creatinine ratio be used for diagnosis of cushings?
Random sample- less sensitive/specific
Sampling 2 days after a clinical visit
Increases sensitivity/specificity