W21 - Diabetes CPC Flashcards
Which one is increased in a patient with Paget’s disease of the bone?

C) Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
Which one is increased in a patient with osteomalacia?

C) Alkaline phosphatase
(osteomalacia => lack of vitamin D => rise in PTH (2ndary hyperPTH) due to low calcium => increase bone formation and hence turnover => high ALP)
Which one is increased in a patient following an acute MI?

D) AST
Heart muscle releases firstly troponins, CK (MB), then AST, then LDH (in order of highest [] to lowest [])
Which one is raised in Addison’s disease?

Potassium
Which one of the above is most increased in a patient with jaundice caused by a gallstone?

C) Alkaline phosphatase (OBSTRUCTIVE JAUNDICE)
- AST and ALT might also be raised, but ALP will be v high!
What does this CXR show?

huge hilar lymph nodes on both sides = Bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy
What does this CXR show?

Bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy
Which one is most increased in a patient with jaundice caused by viral hepatitis?
ViraL = ALT (B)
ALT wins over AST in VIRAL hepatitis
Which one is most increased in a patient with jaundice caused by chronic alcoholic cirrhosis?
D) Aspartate amino transferase (AST)
In alcoholic cirrhosis, you’ve got high AST, ALT, GGT but the HIGHEST in a chronic alcoholic cirrhosis will be AST
Which one is most increased in a patient with prostatic carcinoma?
A) Acid phosphatase (we’ve now changed the name to prostate specific antigen/PSA)
45 year old Afro-Carribean man presents with dyspnoea. Which is the most helpful investigation?
A) FBC
B) U&E
C) CXR
D) ECG
E) Echocardiogram
C) CXR
although all are useful, a CXR can pick up or exclude many possible diagnoses
if pt was orthopnoiec, E) echo would’ve been more useful to investigate HF
45 year old Afro-Carribean man presents with dyspnoea. His calcium is 2.82 (2.20-2.60).
- What do you think he has?
- What result do you expect from his PTH?
- What is his treatment plan?
- What do you think he has? sarcoidosis
- What result do you expect from his PTH? suppressed to undetectable levels
- What is his treatment plan? steroids (which will normalise both the calcium and treat the lung problem)
How does sarcoidosis cause hypercalcaemia?
Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease where macrophages express 1 alpha hydroxylase
48 year old female unconscious.
- Acutely unwell a few days, Vomiting, Polyuria and polydipsia, Breathless, Dehydrated.
- Examination: obese, very dehydrated
- BP 80 / 40
- Urine dipstick: 4+ glycosuria
ABG: pH 7.65, PCO2 = 6.1 kPa (N 4.7-6.0), PO2 = 15 kPa
Describe what the ABG shows
pH high
pCO2 high
metabolic alkalosis
Name 3 causes of metabolic alkalosis
- H+ loss (e.g. vomiting)
- Hypokalaemia
- Ingestion of Bicarbonate
As part of compensation, what happens to ventilation in metbolic alkalosis and why?
metabolic alkalosis inhibits ventilation => CO2 increases => H+ increases (compensation)
- Na: 145, K: 2.5, U 40, pH 7.65, Glucose 46.
- Bicarb 55 mM
What is the osmolality ?
•Osmolality = 2(Na+K) + U + G
= 2 (145 + 2.5) + 40 + 46 = 381 mosm/kg
What does this renal biopsy show?

Normal, healthy glomerulus!
What does this renal biopsy show?

there is damage but you can still see the glomerulus = must be ATN
Na: 145, K: 2.5, U 40, pH 7.65, Glucose 46, Bicarb 55 mM
What other information do you need to work out the anion gap ?
A. Creatinine
B. Bilirubin
C. Chloride
D. Magnesium
E. Calcium
F. Phosphate
Anion gap = Na + K + Cl - bicarb
C. Chloride
3 causes of longstanding hypokalaemia?
- GI loss (D&V, fistula)
- Renal loss (hyperaldosteronism, mineralocorticoid/cortisol excess, diuretics, renal tubular disease)
- Redistribution (insulin, alkalosis, beta-agonists)
- Longstanding hypertension and diabetes
- Previous fractured hip
- Slowly worsening obesity.
- Wound on shin that did not heal
What is the diagnosis ?
A. Cystic fibrosis
B. SLE
C. Cushing’s syndrome
D. Sjogren’s
E. Osteoporosis
C. Cushing’s syndrome
- ACTH 250 (very high)
- Cortisol 3120 nM (very high)
- Dexamethasone failed to suppress
- Low dose dex: cortisol = 3100 nM
- High dose dex: cortisol = 2990 nM
(totally failed to suppress).
What is the cause?
A. Pituitary Cushing’s
B. Ectopic ACTH
C. Adrenal tumour
B. Ectopic ACTH
Not C because ACTH is high
not A because it would suppress with high dose dexamethasone
With an ectopic ACTH release, why would there be severe hypokalaemia?
•Because VERY high levels of cortisol bind to the aldosterone receptor (MR)