Endocrinology Flashcards
(89 cards)
What are the 4 hormones involved in appetite regulation?
What do each of them do and detect?
INCREASE SATIETY AND REDUCE APPETITE
Leptin - detects lipids
Insulin - detects carbohydrates
REDUCE SATIETY AND INCREASES APPETITE
Ghrelin and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1)
Difference between Cushing’s syndrome and Cushing’s disease
Cushing’s syndrome: general term for chronic excessive and inappropriate elevated levels of circulating CORTISOL
Cushing’s disease: excessive cortisol resulting from inappropriate ACTH secretion due to pituitary tumour
CUSHING'S BACKGROUND What releases CRH? Full name? What releases ACTH? Full name? What releases cortisol? Proportion in blood? Bound to? Effects of cortisol (6)
Hypothalamus releases corticotrophin releasing hormone.
Pituitary gland releases adenocorticotrophic hormone.
Zona fasiculata releases cortisol.
95% cortisol binding globulin, 5% free
Increased gluconeogenesis, proteolysis, lipolysis. Increased BP. Anti-inflammatory. Mood and memory.
CUSHING’S SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Big 3?
Others?
MOON FACE, OBESITY, BUFFALO HUMP
Mood changes, infection?, thin skin, bruises, osteoporosis, purple striae, acne, increased BP
CUSHING’S DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS?
Pseudo-Cushing’s syndrome
Caused by alcohol excess - resolves with abstinence
CUSHING’S DIAGNOSIS?
Initial?
First line?
2nd line?
Initial - urine, blood, saliva cortisol
First line - dexamethasone suppression test
(overnight or 48hr)
Second line - ACTH test and dexamethasone injected
ACTH high - pituitary or ectopic
ACTH low - adrenal tumours
CT and MRIs to confirm
CUSHING’S CAUSES?
Exogenous - oral steroids (most common)
Endogenous -
ACTH dependent: pituitary or ectopic
ACTH independent: adrenal tumour
CUSHING’S TREATMENT?
Stops steroids
Surgery on tumours
Medications: inhibit cortisol synthesis, eg METYRAPONE, KETOCONAZOLE, FLUCONAZOLE
ACROMEGALY vs GIGANTISM?
Acromegaly - hormone disorder in adults as a result of excess growth hormone
Gigantism - excess growth hormone in childhood, leading to increased height
ACROMEGALY BACKGROUND
Feedback mechanisms on GH?
Two groupings for GH effects? Examples?
GHRH from hypothalamus stimulates
Somatostatin from muscle, liver, bones inhibits
Direct: increased metabolism and growth increased bone thickness and muscle growth increased insulin resistance increased glucose in blood
Indirect: via IGF-1
increased metabolism, increased cell division and differentiation, prevents cell death
ACROMEGALY EPIDEMIOLOGY AND RISK FACTORS How common? Male vs Female? Age? Specific risk factor
Rare - 3 per million in the UK
Male = Female
Middle age
MEN-1 (multiple endocrine neoplasia)
ACROMEGALY CAUSES
Main?
3 others?
99% of cases: functional pituitary adenoma
also:
ectopic, hypothalamic tumour, MEN-1
ACROMEGALY SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
List as many as possible.
Note on diagnosis?
Often takes years to diagnose
Headaches increased size of extremities sweating snoring decreased libido amenorrhea skin darkens wide nose deep voice macroglossia
ACROMEGALY COMPLICATIONS
5 examples
Impaired glucose tolerance (40%) Leading to diabetes mellitus (15%) Carpal tunnel syndrome HTN, cardiac problems Colon cancer
ACROMEGALY DIAGNOSIS
3 steps
Test for increased IGF-1 (diagnostic) and GH (non-diagnostic)
Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) - glucose should suppress GH
MRI for pituitary adenoma
ACROMEGALY TREATMENT
1st line?
2nd line?
3rd line?
1: Trans-sphenoidal surgery (+radiotherapy?)
2: Somatostatin analogues, eg octreotide or lanreotide
3: GH antagonist (pregvisomant)
ADRENAL INSUFFICIENCY CAUSES
2 categories? Examples?
Primary (ADDISON’S DISEASE)
autoimmune (80%)
TB, metastatic carcinoma, lymphoma, CMV in HIV, adrenal haemorrhage
Secondary
long term steroid use
hypothalamic-pituitary disease (ACTH)
ADRENAL INSUFFICIENCY EPIDEMIOLOGY
How common?
Can it be fatal? Expand on this
Rare - 0.3 per 100,000
Can be fatal - ADDISONIAN CRISIS
untreated w/ bad destruction, leads to dehydration, low BP, tachycardia: possibly death
ADRENAL INSUFFICIENCY SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS?
Split up into 3 categories
- Due to lack of aldosterone
hyperkalaemia, hyponatraemia, hypovolemia, metabolic acidosis, craving salts, NAUSEA, fatigue - Due to lack of cortisol
glucose down, weakness, tiredness, BRONZE PIGMENTATION - Due to lack of androgens
women only: decreased libido and changes/decreases in body hair
ADRENAL INSUFFICIENCY DIAGNOSIS & TREATMENT
First line?
Second line?
1st Blood tests:
sodium, potassium, hormones, etc
2nd ACTH stimulation test:
synthetic ACTH given, measure the cortisol and aldosterone, should increase if healthy
Treatment: Replace hormones
HYDROCORTISONE/PREDNISOLONE (gluco-)
FLUDROCORTISONE (mineral-)
HYPERALDOSTERONISM BACKGROUND
What are the actions of aldosterone? On what cells?
Use these to show signs of hyperaldosteronism.
Principle cell (Na+ and H20 in, K+ out) Hypernatermia, Hypervolemia, Hypokalaemia
Alpha Intercalated Cell (H+ excretion)
Metabolic alkalosis
HYPERALDOSTERONISM EPIDEMIOLOGY AND RISK FACTORS
What is HYPERALDOSTERONISM a rare cause of? How much?
When to check for HYPERALDOSTERONISM?
Rare cause of HTN (less than 1%)
Check for patients with HTN under 35 with no family history
HYPERALDOSTERONISM CAUSES
2 categories?
2 (w/ numbers) x 2
Primary (pathology with adrenal gland)
- adrenal adenoma (CONN’S SYNDROME) (2/3)
- idiopathic bilateral hyperplasia (1/3)
Secondary (pathology elsewhere, increased Renin)
- chronic low BP (heart failure)
- reduced renal perfusion
HYPERALDOSTERONISM CLINICAL FEATURES?
Often?
5.
OFTEN ASYMPTOMATIC
Hypertension, Muscle weakness and paraesthesiae
Polydipsia, polyuria