Euthyroid sick syndrome
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Euthyroid sick syndrome
Endocrine system
Adrenal gland disorders
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Primary adrenal insufficiency
Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome
Hyperaldosteronism
Adrenal cortical carcinoma
Cushing syndrome
Conn syndrome
Thyroid gland disorders
Thyroglossal duct cyst
Hyperthyroidism
Graves disease
Thyroid eye disease (NORD)
Toxic multinodular goiter
Thyroid storm
Hypothyroidism
Euthyroid sick syndrome
Hashimoto thyroiditis
Subacute granulomatous thyroiditis
Riedel thyroiditis
Postpartum thyroiditis
Thyroid cancer
Parathyroid gland disorders
Hyperparathyroidism
Hypoparathyroidism
Hypercalcemia
Hypocalcemia
Pancreatic disorders
Diabetes mellitus
Diabetic retinopathy
Diabetic nephropathy
Pituitary gland disorders
Hyperpituitarism
Pituitary adenoma
Hyperprolactinemia
Prolactinoma
Gigantism
Acromegaly
Hypopituitarism
Growth hormone deficiency
Pituitary apoplexy
Sheehan syndrome
Hypoprolactinemia
Constitutional growth delay
Diabetes insipidus
Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH)
Gonadal dysfunction
Precocious puberty
Delayed puberty
Premature ovarian failure
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Androgen insensitivity syndrome
Kallmann syndrome
5-alpha-reductase deficiency
Polyglandular syndromes
Autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 (NORD)
Endocrine tumors
Multiple endocrine neoplasia
Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms
Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
Carcinoid syndrome
Pheochromocytoma
Neuroblastoma
Opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome (NORD)
Endocrine system pathology review
Adrenal insufficiency: Pathology review
Adrenal masses: Pathology review
Hyperthyroidism: Pathology review
Hypothyroidism: Pathology review
Thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer: Pathology review
Parathyroid disorders and calcium imbalance: Pathology review
Diabetes mellitus: Pathology review
Cushing syndrome and Cushing disease: Pathology review
Pituitary tumors: Pathology review
Hypopituitarism: Pathology review
Diabetes insipidus and SIADH: Pathology review
Multiple endocrine neoplasia: Pathology review
Neuroendocrine tumors of the gastrointestinal system: Pathology review
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Euthyroid sick syndrome
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Euthyroid sick syndrome
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| Laboratory value | Result |
| Sodium | 137 mEq/L |
| Potassium | 4.8 mEq/L |
| Chloride | 99 mEq/L |
| Creatinine | 0.6 mg/dL |
| Glucose | 89 mEq/L |
| ESR | 73 mm/h |
| TSH | 8.8 μU/mL |
| Hemoglobin | 12.6 g/dL |
| Hematocrit | 42% |
Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient’s condition?
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Transcript
Contributors
Brittany Norton, MFA
Evan Debevec-McKenney
Tanner Marshall, MS
The term euthyroid sick syndrome, also known as nonthyroidal illness syndrome, can be broken down. Eu- refers to good and -thyroid refers to the thyroid gland which produces thyroid hormones.
So, euthyroid sick syndrome is a state where the thyroid gland is functioning normally, but the thyroid hormones are at abnormal levels.
Normally, the hypothalamus, which is located at the base of the brain, secretes thyrotropin-releasing hormone, known as ΤRH, into the hypophyseal portal system - which is a network of capillaries linking the hypothalamus to the anterior pituitary.
The anterior pituitary then releases a hormone of its own, called thyroid-stimulating hormone, thyrotropin or simply TSH.
TSH stimulates the thyroid gland which is a gland located in the neck that looks like two thumbs hooked together in the shape of a “V”.
If we zoom into the thyroid gland, we’ll find thousands of follicles, which are small hollow spheres whose walls are lined with follicular cells, and are separated by a small amount of connective tissue.
Follicular cells convert thyroglobulin, a protein found in follicles, into two iodine-containing hormones, triiodothyronine or T3, and thyroxine or T4.
Once released from the thyroid gland, these hormones enter the blood and bind to circulating plasma proteins.
Only a small amount of T3 and T4 will travel unbound in the blood, and these two hormones get picked up by nearly every cell in the body.
Once inside the cell T4 is mostly converted into T3, and it can exert its effect. T3 speeds up the basal metabolic rate.
So as an example, they might produce more proteins and burn up more energy in the form of sugars and fats. It’s as if the cells are in a bit of frenzy.
T3 increases cardiac output, stimulates bone resorption - thinning out the bones, and activates the sympathetic nervous system, the part of the nervous system responsible for our ‘fight-or-flight’ response.
Summary
Euthyroid sick syndrome (ESS) is a condition in which the thyroid gland is functioning properly, but the thyroid hormone levels are abnormally low. This can lead to a variety of symptoms, including fatigue, weight gain, and hair loss. Common causes of ESS include starvation or a serious illness, and is often seen in critically ill intensive care patients
Sources
- "Robbins Basic Pathology" Elsevier (2017)
- "Robbins Basic Pathology" Elsevier (2017)
- "Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, Twentieth Edition (Vol.1 & Vol.2)" McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2018)
- "Pathophysiology of Disease: An Introduction to Clinical Medicine 8E" McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2018)
- "CURRENT Medical Diagnosis and Treatment 2020" McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2019)
- "Harrison's Endocrinology, 4E" McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2016)
- "Mechanisms behind the non-thyroidal illness syndrome: an update" Journal of Endocrinology (2009)
- "Homeostatic Control of the Thyroid–Pituitary Axis: Perspectives for Diagnosis and Treatment" Frontiers in Endocrinology (2015)
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