Dataset Information

Pituitary Gland: Normal Function and Assessment.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

This computer-based, interactive module introduces preclinical medical students to normal pituitary function and outlines its assessment. Solid understanding of these topics is requisite to learning clinical disorders of the pituitary. Existing resources largely target learners at earlier or later stages of training; thus, we created this resource to address needs of medical students during a first- or second-year endocrine course.

Methods

A module format was selected to promote interactive, independent learning. Two cohorts of medical students completed the 40-minute module: 172 second-year students who had completed a year of basic sciences in the traditional curriculum and 180 foundation-phase students in a three-semester combined basic and clinical sciences curriculum (due to a change in the medical school curriculum at our institution). In both instances, the module was completed before start of clinical pituitary content. A static set of PowerPoint slides accompanied the module to facilitate note taking. Test Your Knowledge slides were inserted to ensure grasp of key terms/concepts before moving to subsequent slides. A short question-and-answer session was held following module completion to clarify points of confusion.

Results

Students rated effectiveness of the module as 4.6 out of 5, commenting on its clarity, organization, high-yield nature, and utility in preparing for clinical material. Faculty noted greater understanding of foundational pituitary principles and more engaging discussions. The percentage of pituitary-related questions answered correctly on the midterm exam increased.

Discussion

The success of the pituitary module prompted development of adrenal, thyroid, and parathyroid modules that now comprise the Endocrine Organs Introduction Series in our curriculum.

SUBMITTER: Kirk D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6464430 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Pituitary Gland: Normal Function and Assessment.

Kirk Deepa D Smith Kathryn W KW

MedEdPORTAL : the journal of teaching and learning resources 20160721

<h4>Introduction</h4>This computer-based, interactive module introduces preclinical medical students to normal pituitary function and outlines its assessment. Solid understanding of these topics is requisite to learning clinical disorders of the pituitary. Existing resources largely target learners at earlier or later stages of training; thus, we created this resource to address needs of medical students during a first- or second-year endocrine course.<h4>Methods</h4>A module format was selected ...[more]

PMID: 31008210

Similar Datasets

Project description:Background and purposeKennedy disease is a rare X-linked neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the first exon of the androgen-receptor gene. Apart from neurologic signs, this mutation can cause a partial androgen insensitivity syndrome with typical alterations of gonadotropic hormones produced by the pituitary gland. The aim of the present study was therefore to evaluate the impact of Kennedy disease on pituitary gland volume under the hypothesis that endocrinologic changes caused by partial androgen insensitivity may lead to morphologic changes (ie, hypertrophy) of the pituitary gland.Materials and methodsPituitary gland volume was measured in sagittal sections of 3D T1-weighted 3T-MR imaging data of 8 patients with genetically proven Kennedy disease and compared with 16 healthy age-matched control subjects by use of Multitracer by a blinded, experienced radiologist. The results were analyzed by a univariant ANOVA with total brain volume as a covariant. Furthermore, correlation and linear regression analyses were performed for pituitary volume, patient age, disease duration, and CAG repeat expansion length. Intraobserver reliability was evaluated by means of the Pearson correlation coefficient.ResultsPituitary volume was significantly larger in patients with Kennedy disease (636 [±90] mm(3)) than in healthy control subjects (534 [±91] mm(3)) (P = .041). There was no significant difference in total brain volume (P = .379). Control subjects showed a significant decrease in volume with age (r = -0.712, P = .002), whereas there was a trend to increasing gland volume in patients with Kennedy disease (r = 0.443, P = .272). Gland volume correlated with CAG repeat expansion length in patients (r = 0.630, P = .047). The correlation coefficient for intraobserver reliability was 0.94 (P < .001).ConclusionsPatients with Kennedy disease showed a significantly higher pituitary volume that correlated with the CAG repeat expansion length. This could reflect hypertrophy as the result of elevated gonadotropic hormone secretion caused by the androgen receptor mutation with partial androgen insensitivity.

Project description:Purpose: To detect the presence of antipituitary (APA) and antihypothalamus antibodies (AHA) in subjects treated for brain cancers, and to evaluate their potential association with pituitary dysfunction. Methods: We evaluated 63 patients with craniopharyngioma, glioma, and germinoma treated with surgery and/or radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy at a median age of 13 years. Forty-one had multiple pituitary hormone deficiencies (MPHD), six had a single pituitary defect. GH was the most common defect (65.1%), followed by AVP (61.9%), TSH (57.1%), ACTH (49.2%), and gonadotropin (38.1%). APA and AHA were evaluated by simple indirect immunofluorescence method indirect immunofluorescence in patients and in 50 healthy controls. Results: Circulating APA and/or AHA were found in 31 subjects (49.2%) and in none of the healthy controls. In particular, 25 subjects out of 31 were APA (80.6%), 26 were AHA (83.90%), and 20 were both APA and AHA (64.5%). Nine patients APA and/or AHA have craniopharyngioma (29%), seven (22.6%) have glioma, and 15 (48.4%) have germinoma. Patients with craniopharyngioma were positive for at least one antibody in 39.1% compared to 33.3% of patients with glioma and to 78.9% of those with germinoma with an analogous distribution for APA and AHA between the three tumors. The presence of APA or AHA and of both APA and AHA was significantly increased in patients with germinoma. The presence of APA (P = 0.001) and their titers (P = 0.001) was significantly associated with the type of tumor in the following order: germinomas, craniopharyngiomas, and gliomas; an analogous distribution was observed for the presence of AHA (P = 0.002) and their titers (P = 0.012). In addition, we found a significant association between radiotherapy and APA (P = 0.03). Conclusions: Brain tumors especially germinoma are associated with the development of hypothalamic-pituitary antibodies and pituitary defects. The correct interpretation of APA/AHA antibodies is essential to avoid a misdiagnosis of an autoimmune infundibulo-neurohypophysitis or pituitary hypophysitis in patients with germinoma.

Dataset Information

Pituitary Gland: Normal Function and Assessment.

Introduction

Methods

Results

Discussion

Publications

Pituitary Gland: Normal Function and Assessment.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets