Conduct protocol in emergency: Acute adrenal insufficiency / Protocolo de condutas em emergência: insuficiência adrenal aguda

Summary Introduction: Acute adrenal insufficiency or addisonian crisis is a rare comorbidity in emergency; however, if not properly diagnosed and treated, it may progress unfavorably. Objective: To alert all health professionals about the diagnosis and correct treatment of this complication. Method: We performed an extensive search of the medical literature using specific search tools, retrieving 20 articles on the topic. Results: Addisonian crisis is a difficult diagnosis due to the unspecificity of its signs and symptoms. Nevertheless, it can be suspected in patients who enter the emergency room with complaints of abdominal pain, hypotension unresponsive to volume or vasopressor agents, clouding, and torpor. This situation may be associated with symptoms suggestive of chronic adrenal insufficiency such as hyperpigmentation, salt craving, and association with autoimmune diseases such as vitiligo and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Hemodynamically stable patients may undergo more accurate diagnostic methods to confirm or rule out addisonian crisis. Delay to perform diagnostic tests should be avoided, in any circumstances, and unstable patients should be immediately medicated with intravenous glucocorticoid, even before confirmatory tests. Conclusion: Acute adrenal insufficiency is a severe disease that is difficult to diagnose. It should be part of the differential diagnosis in cases of hypotensive patient who is unresponsive to vasoactive agents. Therefore, whenever this complication is considered, health professionals should aim specifically at this pathology.

Resumo Introdução: a insuficiência adrenal aguda ou crise addisoniana é uma comorbidade rara na emergência; porém, se não diagnosticada e tratada de forma correta, pode evoluir de maneira desfavorável. Objetivo: alertar a todos os profissionais da saúde sobre o diagnóstico e tratamento corretos dessa complicação. Método: foi realizada uma ampla pesquisa na literatura médica, por meio de ferramentas específicas, sendo selecionados 20 artigos sobre o tema. Resultados: a crise addisoniana é de difícil diagnóstico pela inespecificidade de seus sinais e sintomas. No entanto, pode ser suspeitada em pacientes que chegam à emergência com queixa de dor abdominal, hipotensão não responsiva a volume ou a agentes vasopressores, obnubilação e torpor. Esse quadro pode vir associado a sintomas sugestivos de insuficiência adrenal crônica, como hiperpigmentação e avidez por sal, bem como a doenças autoimunes, como vitiligo e tireoidite de Hashimoto. Pacientes estáveis hemodinamicamente podem passar por métodos diagnósticos mais apurados para se confirmar ou descartar a crise addisoniana. Os exames diagnósticos não podem retardar, em hipótese alguma, o tratamento de pacientes instáveis, que deve ser iniciado imediatamente com glicocorticoide endovenoso, inclusive antes das provas confirmatórias. Conclusão: a insuficiência adrenal aguda é uma patologia grave e de difícil diagnóstico, que deve fazer parte do diagnóstico diferencial do médico ao atender um paciente hipotenso sem reposta à infusão de drogas vasoativas. Logo, na suspeita dessa complicação, o profissional não deve tardar a agir especificamente nessa patologia.

Acute adrenal insufficiency as the primary manifestation of extrapulmonary tuberculosis: A case report / Journal of the ASEAN Federation of Endocrine Societies

@#Acute adrenal insufficiency (AI) is a life-threatening condition. While Addison’s disease (AD) is rare, in developing countries, tuberculosis (TB) still remains as the primary cause in 7 to 20% of cases. Urinary TB is also the third most common form of extrapulmonary disease. We report a case of 37-year-old male who presented with weakness, anorexia, weight loss, dysuria, flank pain and low grade fever. Examination revealed hypotension, hyperpigmentation, hyponatremia, hypoglycemia and low serum cortisol. He was diagnosed to have adrenal crisis due to Addison’s disease and extrapulmonary TB manifesting as urinary tract infection (UTI). He was treated with corticosteroids and anti-TB medications. Urologic reconstructive surgery was subsequently planned.

Insuficiência adrenal aguda / Acute adrenal insufficiency

A insuficiência adrenal (IA) consiste em síndrome clínica rara, decorrente da deficiência de glicocorticoides e/ou mineralocorticoides, podendo ser primária. A insuficiência adrenal aguda consiste em emergência endócrina rara, resultante da diminuição súbita do cortisol circulante, ou de aumento significativo da demanda por esse hormônio em pacientes com algum grau de disfunção adrenal, ocorrendo mais frequentemente no contexto da IA primária. O prognóstico da doença depende do reconhecimento e intervenção terapêutica precoces

Adrenal insuficiency (AI) consists of a rare clinical syndrome resulting from glucocorticoids and/or mineralocorticoids deficiency. Adrenal insufficiency may be primary. The acute AI is a rare endocrine emergency resulting from sudden decrease of circulating cortisol or, elevated demand for this hormone in patients with some degree of adrenal disfunction, occuring more frequently in primary AI. The prognosis depends on early recognition and precocious therapeutic intervention

A Case of Acute Adrenal Insufficiency with Bilateral Adrenal Hemorrhagic Infarction due to Ebstein-Barr Virus Infection in a Patient with Asymptomatic Chronic Adrenal Insufficiency / 대한내분비학회지

Acute adrenal insufficiency may result from adrenal crisis, hemorrhagic destruction, or the rapid withdrawal of steroids from patient with chronic steroid medication, congenital adrenal hyperplasia or those on other drugs. Acute hemorrhagic destruction of both adrenal glands can occur due to infection, trauma, anticoagulant therapy, antiphospholipid syndrome or a coagulation disorder. However, there have been no reports on acute hemorrhagic adrenal insufficiency due to the Ebstein-Barr virus (EBV). Herein, a case of acute adrenal insufficiency, with bilateral adrenal hemorrhagic infarction, is reported in a patient with asymptomatic chronic adrenal insufficiency. A 42-year-old man presented with general weakness, weight loss and hyperpigmentation of several months duration. He suffered from a sore throat, general myalgia and a headache on admission. The laboratory findings were lymphocytosis, positive EBV IgM antibody, low cortisol level and a high level of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Adrenocortical autoantibody and PCR for Mycobacterium tuberculosis showed negative findings. The serologic findings for CMV and HIV were negative. Fine needle aspiration of the adrenal gland revealed a hemorrhagic infarction and positive staining for the anti-EBV antibody. Acute adrenal insufficiency was then diagnosed with a bilateral adrenal hemorrhagic infarction due to the EBV infection in the patient, also with asymptomatic chronic adrenal insufficiency. This is the first case of acute adrenal insufficiency with bilateral hemorrhagic infarction, due to an EBV infection