Endocrine disorders, when they occur, can be quite complex in terms of symptoms presented, diagnosis, treatment, and determining prognosis.  This complexity is due to a number of reasons, such as the numerous and complicated feedback interactions between endocrine glands and hormones, the intricate interactions between the endocrine system and other body systems (especially nervous system), the mixed hypersecretion and hyposecretion nature that some endocrine disorders exhibit, and how the effects of the disorder on the individual often differ with age, gender, and other underlying factors.

In this activity, your group will choose one case study involving an endocrine disorder from among the six options.  Your groups task is to research, discuss, and present (in a research paper) the following:

1. State which endocrine disorder the patient has, and clearly present and explain reasons for the diagnosis.  Make sure to state which symptoms were considered to be primary, and which ones secondary.  Were there any symptoms that were probably not related to the disorder at all?

2. What is the mechanism of this disease and provide some additional information, such as epidemiology, history, or genetic influence.

3. What additional tests might be useful for further refining the diagnosis of this patient?  Pay particular attention to which specific type of blood work would be necessary / beneficial for this patient.

4. What will be the initial recommended treatment for this patient?  Clearly state the reasons and explain why certain treatment options were chosen over others.

5. What possible complications might be expected to result from the initial treatment, and what could be done to limit the effects of these complications?

6. If the condition does not improve or continues to progress and worsen after the initial treatment, what other treatment options are available?  Why would these treatments not be used from the very beginning?

Case Study 5:  A 19 month old male infant is brought to the ER and presents with respiratory distress and tachypnea in the 50s.  HR is 82 bpm.  Coarse, inspiratory rales are heard during respiratory auscultation.  The attending physician immediately notices a mild but detectable skull bossing, and that the mother insists on carrying the infant at all times because as she explained, he becomes irritable and sometimes whimpers if I put him down.  Echocardiogram reveals a mild dilated cardiomyopathy, mainly in the left ventricle.  X-rays reveal rough edges along both left and right femurs and signs of healing of a fracture in the left tibia.  Subsequently, it was learned that the infant had been adopted from a family in Cambodia, and that the boy was delivered prematurely at gestational week 36 by caesarean section.  The adoptive mother is unaware of any complications associated with the premature birth.  However, the doctors were subsequently informed that the birth mother had a history of moderate to severe eczema, and had undergone years of intermittent treatment with various steroidal drugs, anti-histamines, methotrexate, and various oral and topical antibiotics to manage her recurring skin infections.

Other patient info:

Weight:  11.2kg
Height:  84cm
Family history of cancer: Unknown
Family history of heart disease:  Unknown
Current diet:  combination of homemade and ready-made baby food, all organic (adoptive parents are strict vegetarians)
Current medication:  none
Temp:  37.1oC