UNIT 3 ENDOCRINE Flashcards
What are the functions of the endocrine system?
Controls & requlates metabolism
1. energy production
2. growth
3. fluid and electrolyte balance
4. response to stress
5. sexual development
What are hormones?
Chemical substances which control/regulate activities of other cells/organs
1. Released by endocrine glands into blood stream
2. Regulated by feedback mechanism
What is the master gland of the endocrine system?
Anterior pituitary which is controlled by the hypothalamus
What is hypopituitarism?
Diminshed secreation of pituitary hormones
1. gonadotropin deficency
2. Growth hormone (GH) deficiecny
3. Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) deficiecny
4. Adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency
Clinical manifestions of hypopituitarism include?
- Depends on the hormones involved and the age of onset
What causes hypopituitarism?
- Tumors: in the brain around hypothalmic /pituitary
- Incomplete/underdevelopment of pituitary gland or hypothalamus
- congenital: newborn infants..familial… alot of the time they will have hypoclycemia and seizure activity
- Surgery: any brain surgery in the area of the hypothalmus or pituitary gland
- Radiation
- Trauma: Brain trauma during delievery, maltreatment, skill fractures from car accidents
- Autoimmune
- Idopathic
What are clinical manifestations of GHD
- 1st year-normal growth
- After 1st year children fall below the 3rd percentile
- Height stunted more than weight– with good nutrition they may appear overweight due to short stature
- Skepetal proportionals normal for age
- Primary teeth-normal age
- Permanent teeth-delayed
- Teeth overcrowded and malpositioned because they have a smaller underdeveloped jaw
- Delayed sexual development– otherwise normal unless they also have a deficiency in the gonadtropin hormone alsoe
How might GHD affect the teeth?
- Primary teeth- normal age
- Permanant teeth-delayed
- Teeth may be overcrowded and malpositioned because they have a smaller underdeveloped jaw
How is GHD diagnosed?
- Family history
- find out growth patterns of family members or if there is a parental hx of GHD,
- r/o malabsorption disorders. Chronic illness like congenital heart disease neuro illness that can also effect growth.
- Physical exam
- Accurate height and weight
- Xray/MRI
- 3 and below will get a full xray if older they will just get xray of hands and wrist looking at bone age with GHD… age will be delayed
- Endocrine studes
- Absent of low level of GH
- Genetic testing
**OVERALL- poor linear growth, delayed bone age and abnormal growth hormone stiumlation tested needed for diagnosis. **
Therapeutic managment of GHD includes?
- Correct the underlying disease process
- Growth hormone replacement
- Biosynthestic growth hormone
- Very Expensive
- Child and famiy support
- Parents may be angry for not treating sooner thinking that there child will eventually have a growth spurt
- Human growth fondation can provide resources on research,education, support groups and bully prebention.
What should we know about growth hormone replacement therapy?
- It is the definitive treatment
- Given subq on a daily basis.
- Expensive
When is the best time to give growth hormone replacement therapy?
At bedtime due to the natural release of pituitary hormones
What would the expected growth pattern be after growth hormone replacement therapy?
Significant growth within the 1st year and then it tapers off with gradual growth. They will continue to take growth hormones until bone age is caught up. For boys that is around age 16 and for girls age 14
What is Hyperpituitarism?
Overproduction of anterior pituitary hormone
What causes hyperpituitarism?
- Hyperplasia of pituitary cells
- Primary hypothalamic defect
What are clinical manifestations of hyperpituitarism?
- Gigantism —> excess growth hormone during childhood
- Hyperthyroidism—> excessive TSH
- Hypercortisolism —> cushing’s syndrome
- Precocious puberty
What are clinical manifestions of Growth Hormone Excess (BEFORE) growth plate closure?
- Proportional overgrowth of long bones
- What causes some kids to reach 8ft tall
- Rapid & Increased muscle developement
- Weight increase in proportion with height
- Proportional head enlargement
- Delayed fontanel closure
What are clinical manifestations of growth hormone excess (AFTER) growth plate closure?
Growth happens in the transverse direction
1. Acromegaly
- Enlarged facial features
- Separation and malocclusion of teeth
- Enlarged hands/feet
- Thickened, deeply creased skin
- Deep husky voice
- increased tendency toward hyperglucemia & DM
- Any additional growth will be in a transverse way… Prominent jaw, nose, forehead
True or false: The clinical manifestions of excess growth hormone after plate closure happen so slowly that it may not be recognized very quickly?
True- People who see the person daily may not even realize it until they look back at pictures.
True or false: Growth hormone excess after growth plate closure tends to have a higher mortality rate?
True
How is growth hormone excess diagnosed?
- History of excessive growth
- Increased levels of GH
- NOrmal bone age
- Enlargement of bones
- Endocrine studies
What is our therapeutic managment of Growth hormone excess?
- Removal of tumor/lesion if present
- External radiation/radioactive implants
- Pharmocologic agents
What is Precocious Puberty
Early onset of sexual development
At what ages is puberty considered precociuous puberty in boys, white females and african american grils?
- Before age 9 in boys
- Before age 7 in caucasian girls
- Before age 6 in Afriacan-American girls