RESUMO
The diversity of clinical manifestations of Boeck's sarcoidosis may also include endocrine disorders. One year after diagnosis of sarcoidosis in a 29 year-old female patient, endocrinological complications became manifest with amenorrhoea. The course of the disease was additionally complicated by hypoglycaemic episodes. Thorough clinical investigation of the patient revealed sarcoid involvement of the skin, lungs, liver and lymph nodes and an extensive retroperitoneal surgically-verified lymph tumour. After tolbutamide and in reaction to an intravenous glucose tolerance test the blood glucose was found to be very low, whilst the immunoreactive insulin was normal. Further investigation of the endocrine functions of the patient revealed normal functioning of the thyroid gland, subnormal values for the follicle stimulating hormone and extremely low serum ACTH and serum cortisol values, without any diurnal changes in these parameters. The clinical symptoms of the patient and the biochemical findings were regarded as manifestations of secondary adrenal failure due to sarcoid involvement of the hypothalamus and pituitary. Hence, treatment with corticosteroids was started. Hypoglycaemia has not since been observed in this patient and the other clinical features of (secondary) adrenal failure have disappeared slowly.
