Diarrhea Related to Non-neoplastic Endocrine Diseases

Abstract

Diarrhea may result from either neoplastic (e.g., gastrinoma, VIPoma, medullary carcinoma of the thyroid) or non-neoplastic dysfunction of the endocrine glands. This chapter deals with diarrhea due to hyper- or hypofunction of the endocrine pancreas, thyroid, adrenal gland, or congenital immune-related disease affecting several endocrine glands. The epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of the diarrhea of these non-neoplastic endocrine diseases are covered here. Although some of these diarrheal syndromes are rare, some (e.g., diabetic diarrhea and the diarrhea of hyperthyroidism) are common because of the prevalence of the underlying disease.