1.Cortisol secreting adrenal adenoma in a patient with schizophrenia, rheumatic heart disease and myoma uteri: Difficult to find but easy to diagnose.
Lantion-Ang Frances Lina ; Ramos Hallert C.
Philippine Journal of Internal Medicine 2010;48(1):57-60
The presence of cortisol - secret ing adenoma concomitantly with rheumatic heart disease, schizophrenia and myoma uteri is rare. This is a case of a 40 year old female with Schizophrenia who gradually developed Cushing's syndrome from an adrenal adenoma. She suffered a cardio-embolic stroke from Rheumatic heart disease which delayed hysterectomy for a bleeding intrauterine myoma. As ide f rom the phys ical f indings of Cushing's syndrome laboratory work up revealed an elevated 24 hour urine free cortisol with loss of normal diurnal cortisol secretion, suppressed 8AM ACTH level and negative suppression after a high dose dexamethasone. The patient underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy for a 3.8 x 2.4 x 3 cm left adrenocortical adenoma. She required steroid supplementation. Menstrual flow immediately normalized, functional capacity improved and metabolic parameters such as weight, blood pressure and blood sugar were controlled six months after the surgery. Relapse of psychotic symptoms occurred eight months postoperatively because of non-compliance to antipsychotic medications. Cushing's syndrome if untreated can cause significant morbidities such as metabolic, hemodynamic, cardiovascular, bleeding disorder and psychiatric illness. These complications however can also be caused by primary medical illnesses like schizophrenia, rheumatic heart disease and myoma uteri. Treatment of the Cushing's syndrome may resolve some but not all the metabolic and hemodynamic problems and theoretically should also decrease the risk of complications of other primary illnesses concomitantly present. The presence of concomitant primary disease that can cause psychosis, cerebrovascular disease and metrorrhagia should also be investigated in a patient who has Cushing's syndrome. Prompt management of Cushing's syndrome would lessen the risk of complication attributed to schizophrenia, rheumatic heart disease and myoma uteri.
Human ; Female ; Adult ; Adrenocortical Adenoma ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; Cushing Syndrome ; Dexamethasone ; Psychotic Disorders ; Rheumatic Heart Disease ; Schizophrenia ; Stroke ; Myoma
2.Cause of primary amenorrhea in a Filipina: The mayer-rokitansky-kuster-hauser syndrome (mullerian agenesis, congenital absence of the uterus and vagina)
Frances Lina C. Lantion-Ang ; Mark Anthony S. Sandoval
Philippine Journal of Internal Medicine 2011;49(1):43-45
Background: A rare case of Mayer-Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser syndrome is reported here. A 26 year old Filipina with primary amenorrhea consults for inability to consummate sexual intercourse with a male partner. She is phenotypically female - has female secondary sexual characteristics, and has normal female external genitalia. There is a shallow vaginal dimple. Absence of the upper vagina and uterus has been demonstrated by transrectal ultrasound. Ultrasound and intravenous pyelography have documented the absence of the left kidney. Chromosomal analysis reveals a normal female karyotype (46, XX). Endocrine evaluation shows normal levels of estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone. Radiographs did not reveal any associated skeletal abnormalities. Aside from this being a rare case of a disorder of sexual development, this is worth reporting because it illustrates the diagnostic work-up of a patient presenting with primary amenorrhea.