JCEM case reports最新文献

Apparent bilateral adrenal suppression (ABAS), where aldosterone/cortisol ratios in both adrenal veins are lower than in the inferior vena cava, yields uninterpretable adrenal venous sampling (AVS) results and is poorly understood. A 57-year-old male with hypertension and spontaneous hypokalemia was admitted to our hospital. Confirmatory tests established a diagnosis of primary aldosteronism (PA). Initial AVS indicated ABAS, but unilateral PA remained possible due to elevated aldosterone, low renin, hypokalemia, and a right adrenal nodule (8 × 7 mm) on computed tomography. Subsequently, a second, super-selective AVS identified tributaries from areas of aldosterone hypersecretion, enabling accurate localization of unilateral PA. ABAS may occur due to anatomical factors such as dilution by tributaries from nonaldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) areas with suppressed aldosterone production. Super-selective AVS proves beneficial in diagnosing unilateral PA concealed within ABAS by pinpointing tributaries from APA regions.

Insulinomas are rare insulin-secreting tumors that most commonly affect adults. A 26-month-old child presented to her local emergency department with severe hypoglycemia. Initial workup was consistent with hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia. Over the course of 10 months, multiple therapies for hyperinsulinism (HI) were trialed without significant benefit. Genetic testing for genes associated with HI was negative. At age 35 months, the patient was transferred to our center for further treatment. She underwent several imaging tests that revealed a lesion on her pancreas concerning for an insulinoma. The patient underwent surgical intervention to enucleate the lesion. Histopathological review of the specimen confirmed a benign, well-circumscribed insulinoma. A postoperative fasting test proved the patient was cured and she was discharged without the need for further glucose monitoring.

Hematologic malignancies are rare causes of sellar masses and hypopituitarism. We report 2 cases of hypopituitarism due to sellar masses from hematologic malignancies. The first patient was found to have hypopituitarism but initial non-gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sella did not demonstrate a mass. Subsequent gadolinium-enhanced MRI and transsphenoidal biopsy confirmed a diagnosis of intravascular lymphoma. Treatment with systemic chemotherapy resulted in resolution of abnormalities on MRI. The second patient had a known diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and sellar involvement contributing to hypopituitarism was confirmed on biopsy. Treatment with ibrutinib, acalabrutinib, and stereotactic radiosurgery resulted in resolution of abnormalities on MRI. Both patients were treated with hormone replacement for hypopituitarism. These cases highlight that hematologic malignancies should be suspected as causes of sellar masses/hypopituitarism in patients with concurrent symptoms atypical for a pituitary adenoma (eg, constitutional symptoms), known diagnoses of hematologic malignancies, or rapid tumor growth and invasion on imaging. Gadolinium-enhanced MRI should be pursued if nonenhanced MRI is nondiagnostic. Transsphenoidal biopsy can be considered for diagnosis. Malignancy-directed systemic therapy may improve hypopituitarism and radiographic abnormalities on MRI.

Pheochromocytoma and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are rare chromaffin cell tumors arising from neural crest tissue. The majority of these tumors are nonmetastatic, with complete cure achieved through surgical resection. PPGLs have been associated with several hereditary cancer syndromes, including von Hippel-Lindau (VHL). We present the case of a 10-year-old patient with VHL and a history of 2 asynchronous pheochromocytomas requiring bilateral adrenalectomies who presented with a new 1.2 cm × 1.3 cm × 1.5 cm nodular structure between the superior pole of the right kidney and the intrahepatic inferior vena cava. The patient was noted to have hypertension but was otherwise asymptomatic. Positron emission tomography-DOTA-(Tyr)³-octreotate revealed a metabolically active retrocrural lymph node. Based on these imaging findings and laboratory studies showing elevated plasma normetanephrine, clinical suspicion was highest for metastatic pheochromocytoma. The patient underwent surgical resection of multiple abdominal tumors. Pathology ultimately favored a diagnosis of multiple primary paragangliomas rather than metastatic disease. With this shift in diagnosis, the patient was managed with surgery alone. One year later, he has no signs of disease recurrence. Long-term surveillance imaging and screening with fractionated plasma metanephrines is indicated to monitor for new tumors in the setting of VHL and 3 prior endocrine tumors.

Diagnosing primary hyperparathyroidism in pregnancy is difficult due to pregnancy-related changes in parathyroid hormone (PTH); calcium; 1,25 vitamin D; and renal calcium excretion. Parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) produced by the placenta adds additional complexity. Our case is the first to demonstrate an increased rate of PTH degradation within a pregnant individual who returned unexpectedly low PTH levels. We describe a 27-year-old female patient who presented at 25 weeks gestation with pancreatitis and hypercalcemia. Primary hyperparathyroidism was suspected but variable PTH results led to uncertainty and an assay error was considered. PTH samples were collected in both serum-separating tubes (SST) and EDTA tubes and compared to controls (5 nonpregnant and 5 pregnant individuals). Samples were retested every 2 hours for a period of 10 hours. A rapid decline in the measured PTH was noted in the index case, an observation which differed from controls. We postulated that internal and/or external factors influenced the PTH measurement obtained from our patient. From our observations, rapid PTH degradation in pregnancy, and individual variation in PTH stability and laboratory processes, can influence PTH results and impact on interpreting hypercalcemia in pregnancy.

We present a patient who had surgically confirmed CD but without the full cushingoid phenotype despite markedly elevated cortisol. Nonpathologic causes of elevated ACTH and cortisol were eliminated as were pathogenic variants in the glucocorticoid receptor gene. Further studies of urine metabolites, cortisol half-life, and the ratios of cortisone to cortisol conversion revealed impaired 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) activity. There have only been 2 prior reports of impaired 11β-HSD1 resulting in lack of classic cushingoid features in the past 2 decades. Our patient's presentation and previous reports demonstrate the key role of 11β-HSD1 in modulating intracellular cortisol concentration, therefore shielding the peripheral tissues from the effects of excess cortisol. When patients present with markedly elevated cortisol but without classic cushingoid features, impaired 11β-HSD1 should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Myxedema coma is an uncommon and life-threatening manifestation of severe hypothyroidism. Its occurrence in the pediatric population is exceptionally rare and can result from long-standing untreated hypothyroidism or nonadherence to treatment. Identifying this condition can be challenging because it requires a high level of clinical suspicion along with thyroid function testing. We present a 17-year-old female with a history of anxiety who had widespread nonspecific symptoms, including persistent bradycardia, which were found to be caused by hypothyroidism. Our goal is to raise awareness of the varied clinical manifestations of pediatric myxedema to promote early recognition and prompt medical interventions that can lead to better outcomes.

Euglycemic ketoacidosis is a medical emergency characterized by euglycemia, metabolic acidosis, and ketonemia. It is a well-recognized adverse event in patients with diabetes taking sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors. However, little has been reported about euglycemic ketoacidosis using glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists like semaglutide. We present a case of euglycemic ketoacidosis in a young female without diabetes who was taking semaglutide for weight loss for the last 7 months. She was treated with bicarbonate-containing dextrose infusion, which improved the ketoacidosis rapidly. The incidence of euglycemic ketoacidosis will likely increase with the increasing use of GLP-1 inhibitors, and recognizing the signs and symptoms of this life-threatening condition is essential to treat it effectively. Our literature search identified 1 reported case of euglycemic ketoacidosis in a patient without diabetes associated with tirzepatide but none with semaglutide.

Excess fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23) causes renal phosphorous wasting and impaired activation of vitamin D leading to osteomalacia. Tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) is a rare cause of FGF23-mediated hypophosphatemia. We present 2 patients with FGF23-mediated hypophosphatemia who had low bone mineral density (BMD) at diagnosis and remarkable improvements in BMD with treatment. Patient 1 is a 43-year-old man who had years of progressive pain, difficulty ambulating, and multiple fractures. Patient 2 is a 48-year-old nonverbal man with autism and intellectual disability who had months of progressively declining mobility, presumed pain, and multiple fractures. Workup in both cases revealed hypophosphatemia, evidence of renal phosphorous wasting, and elevated FGF23. Patient 1 was diagnosed with TIO when imaging identified a subcutaneous left flank mass and excision resulted in rapid symptom improvement; he experienced a 96% increase in lumbar spine (LS) BMD after surgery. Patient 2 has had multiple scans over several years, but no FGF23-secreting tumor has been identified. He has been maintained on medical treatment with phosphorous and calcitriol with improvement in functioning and 48% increase in LS BMD. Both patients had improvements in BMD with treatment, with more pronounced improvement in the patient with TIO managed surgically.