Medicine & Surgery Flashcards
What are the symptoms of a mass effect of the Pituitary Gland?
Visual disturbances
–Visual field defect usually very insidious and slowly progressive
–Diplopia
–Visual acuity
*Hydrocephalus
*Headache
*Cranial nerve palsies
*Raised intracranial pressure
* CSF leakage
* Nausea
* Vomitting
What is the term given to excess bleeding into an organ or loss of blood flow to an organ?
Apoplexy
What are symptoms of Apoplexy in the Pituitary gland?
- Acute presentation secondary to tumour
haemorrhagic necrosis - Headache
- Vomiting
- Blindness
- Ocular paresis
- Altered level of consciousness
Excess hormones from the Anterior pituitary gland can cause what diseases?
- Excess GH - —–> Gigantism (children)/Acromegaly (adults) , Organomegaly , Diabetes Mellitus.
- Excess ACTH —–> Cushing’s syndrome, Diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, obesity, hypertension.
- TSH ——-> hyperthyroidism (central) ,cardiac dysrythmia, heat intolerance.
- Prolactin (PRL) —— > hyperprolactinaemia (galactorrhoea), amenorrhea ( absence of menstruation) , osteoporosis).
- LH/FSH ——> multiple follicles of ovaries ( asymptomatic) ?
Excess ADH from the pituitary gland can cause what diseases?
Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) - This causes too much water retention , patient has a low sodium content.
A deficiency in the hormones produced by the Anterior pituitary can cause what diseases?
- LH/FSH —–>hypogonadism
- GH——-> growth retardation (children)/non-specific (adults) leads to lethargy, anaemia, depression.
- ACTH——–.>adrenal insufficiency (central)
- TSH ——–>hypothyroidism (central) - not from thyroid gland but other structures.
- Prolactin ( Sheehan syndrome- mother not able to breast feed due to infarction of pituitary)
A deficiency in the hormones produced by the Posterior pituitary can cause what diseases?
- Low ADH—-> Central Diabetes Insipidus
What is the examination approach to detect hormone (excess or deficiency)
Basal hormonal concentrations -
1. Basal plasma levels (one-time examination) 2. Diurnal dynamics of hormone concentrations (e.g. cortisol) 3. Other hormonal cycles (e.g. menstrual phase dynamics) 4. Urinary output 5. Hormonal metabolites - plasma, urine (e.g. C-peptide) 6. Indirect evaluation - measurement of a metabolic response (ADH ... diuresis, insulin ... glycaemia etc.)
What are the functional tests that can be used to detect concentrations of hormones?
- Static testing - no suppression/stimulation
- Dynamic testing – uses suppression/stimulation
Which functional test should be used if there is a suspected excess of hormone?
Suppression test of hormone
Which functional test should be used if there is a suspected deficiency of hormone?
Stimulation test of hormone
Give examples of stimulatory tests of pituitary function?
- Insulin hypoglycaemia test
- Metyrapone test
*Levodopa test - Arginine infusion test
- TRH test
- GnRH test
- CRH test
What is an example of an Inhibitory test for pituitary function?
Dexamethasone test
True or False? CT scans are more affordable than MRI scans.
TRUE!!
What are the classification of a Pituitary adenoma?
Microadenoma LESS than 10mm
Macroadenoma MORE than 10mm (at least 1cm)
lady in lecture say ( large adenoma is 4-5 cm)
Which test can be used in determining Acromegaly?
Oral Glucose test
What test can be used to determine Cushing’s syndrome?
‐(a)low dose dexamethasone
(b)low dose dexamethasone +CRH
(c)high dose dexamethasone
(d)Inferior petrous sampling + CRH
True or False? Hyperglycemia causes Growth hormone to increase.
FALSE!! Hypocgylcemia causes growth hormone to increase
When investigating a pituitary adenoma, which imaging test should be ordered?
MRI of the hypophyseal fossa
What infections are common in diabetics?
- Pneumonias & Tuberculosis
- Pyelonephritis, cystitis, perinephric abscess
- Soft tissue infections including diabetic foot & osteomyelitis
- Necrotising fasciitis
- Mucocutaneous candidiasis
What are infections exclusively in diabetics?
- Invasive ( Malignant) otitis externa
- Rhinocerebral mucormycosis
- Emphysematous infections ( pyelonephritis & cholecystitis)
What is the prevalence of Type II diabetes in the Caribbean?
Greater than 12%
What are the types of remission of Diabetes?
*Partial : Greater than one year of sub-diabetic glycemia
- Complete : Greater than one year with normoglycemia
- Prolonged : Complete remission greater than 5 years
What are the features that a patient must present with so they can be screened for diabetes?
- Age»_space; 45
- Women
- Obesity
- waist»_space; 32 inches ( women)
> 37 inches men
- waist»_space; 32 inches ( women)
- BMI > 30kg/m2
- High blood pressure
What are the causes and associated conditions of Insulin resistance?
- Obesity and inactivity
- Aging
- Medications
- Rare disorders
*PCOS
*Atherosclerosis - Dyslipidemia
- Hypertension
- Type 2 diabetes
- Genetics
What are the two mechanisms of tissue injury by Hyperglycemia?
Glycation pathway
Sorbitol pathway
What are the types of Diabetic Neuropathy?
- Large fibre neuropathy
- Small fibre neuropathy
3.Proximal motor neuropathy - Acute mono- neuropathy
- Entrapment
Microvascular complications of Diabetes are predicted by?
- Duration of diabetes
- A1c
- Blood pressure
Macrovascular complications of Diabetes are predicted by?
- Duration of diabetes
- A1c
- Blood pressure
- Blood pressure
What tests should be done on an initial visit if there is suspected diabetes?
*Complete examination including BMI/waist
* Retinal exam
*Foot assessment including sensation
* FBG,2hpp,HbA1c
* Fastinglipidpanel
*Serum creatinine and assessment for nephropathy (microalbumin or 24h urine for protein, and creatinine clearance)
ECG or risk stratification if needed
What are the clinical features of diabetes?
- Asymptomatic
- Polyuria
- Polydipsia
- Polyphagia
- weight loss
- Blurred vision
- Lower extremity paresthesias
- Yeast infections
- Complications of DM
- Dry feet , Muscle atrophy
- Claw toes , ulcer
*Acanthosis Nigricans ( dirty neck appearance)
What are the anti-inflammatory effects of Cortisol?
- Reduces phagocytic action of white blood cells.
- Reduces fever
- Suppresses allergic reactions
- Wide spread therapeutic use
What is the diagnosis for Cushing syndrome?
- 24 hour urinary cortisol (min 2x)
- Low dose dexamethasone suppression test (1mg)
- Midnight salivary cortisol (min 2x)
- Diurnal rhythm of plasma cortisol
What are the clinical findings in Primary Hyperaldoseronism?
- Hypertension
- Hypokalemia
- Sodium retention
- Muscle weakness
- Paresthesia - a burning or prickling sensation that is usually felt in the hands, arms, legs, or feet.
*ECG changes - Cardiac decompensation
*Headaches
What are the causes of Primary Hyperaldosteronism?
Aldoseterone secreting tumour
Bilateral hyperplasia of cortex
Rarely carcinoma
True or False? Conn’s syndrome is excess aldosterone secretion INDEPENDENT of the renin-antiogensin system.
TRUE!!
What are the screening methods for Hyperaldosteronism ?
- Plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and plasma renin activity (PRA).
- Drawn from ambulant seated patient
- Morning blood draw
- Potassium must be normalized (not hypokalemic) to avoid false suppression of aldosterone
- Positive if Aldosterone-renin ratio (ARR) > 30
And aldosterone level >15ng/dl
What are examples of Aldosterone suppression tests?
- Iv saline
- Oral sodium suppression
- Fludrocortisone suppression test
What is the treatment of Hyperaldosterone?
Aldosterone receptor antagonists (spironolactone and eplerenone)- anti hypertensives of choice
What are the symptoms of Pheochrocytoma?
Pressure (increase BP)
Pain (headache)
Perspiration
Palpitations (tachycardia) Pallor
What are the rules of the 10’s regarding Pheochromocytoma?
- 10% are malignant
- 10% are bilateral
- 10% are extraadrenal in the sympathetic chain (paraganglioma)
- 10% are in children
- 10% (actually 30%) are familial (neurofibromatosis, MEN IIa/IIb, von Hippel–Lindau)
- 10% calcify
What are the symptoms of Primary Adrenal Insufficiency (Addison’s disease)?
Fatigue
WEAKNESS
ORTHOSTASIS - decrease in blood pressure after standing
Weight loss
Poor appetite
Neuropsychiatric
Apathy - lack of interest
CONFUSION
Nausea, vomiting
Abdominal pain
SALT craving
HYPERPIGMENTATION ( oral bucosa)
HYPOTENSION
Loss of axillary/pubic hair (women)
What are the laboratory findings for Addison’s disease ( Primary adrenal insufficiency)?
- Hyponatremia
- Hyperkalemia
- Hypoglycemia
- Narrow cardiac silhouette on CXR
- Low voltage EKG
What are examples of Congenital Adrenal insufficiency?
- Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
- Wolman disease
- Adrenal hypoplasia congenita
- Allgrove syndrome (AAA)
Ambiguous genitalia in females , and precocious puberty in males are major symptoms of?
21-Hydroxylase deficiency
In which enzyme deficiency ,can ONLY aldosterone be made?
17α-Hydroxylase deficiency.
What levels of cortisol is suggestive of AI ?
Less than 3 mcg/dL
What happens to the ACTH levels in adrenal insufficiency?
Elevated in adrenal insufficiency