A Case of Isolated ACTH Deficiency with Rapid Deterioration / 대한내분비학회지

ABSTRACT

Isolated ACTH deficiency is a rare disorder, and usually characterized by its chronic course. The 59 year-old woman patient who had been healthy until 2 months ago, admitted because of abdomial pain, general weakness and loss of weight about 12kg for 2 months. She looked a little pallor but color of skin was not remarkable. Blood pressure, serum electrolyte, and glucose on admission were within normal range. Serum calcium was elevated with the value of 12.6mg/dL, which was normalized after hydration. Cortisol response to RI induced hypoglycemia did not show any response. Anterior pituitary hormone except ACTH showed normal response during combined pituitary hormone stimulation test. These clinical and laboratory finding reveals that isolated ACTH deficiency was developed in a short term period. There were no abnormalities in sellar MRI except pineal cyst. Her complaints were disappeared dramatically after hydroccetisone replacement at 4th. hospital day. Here we report a case of isolated ACTH deficiency, which was rapidly developed, with hypercalcemia, abdominal pain, and loss of weight about 12kg for 2 months.