scholarly journals Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency after Treatment with Budesonide for Autoimmune Hepatitis

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 597-601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Filip De Maeyer ◽  
Bruno Lapauw ◽  
Anne Hoorens ◽  
Anja Geerts ◽  
Hans Van Vlierberghe ◽  
...  

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a rare cause of chronic liver disease. The backbone of treatment is immunosuppressive medication, typically prednisolone as induction therapy and azathioprine as a maintenance therapy. Side effects of the long-term use of systemic corticosteroids are well known and have led to the use of alternative induction regimens. An attractive alternative is budesonide, a nonhalogenated glucocorticosteroid characterized by a high first-pass effect in the liver (90%), resulting in a high topical anti-inflammatory activity and a low systemic activity. It should be stressed that budesonide is contraindicated in patients with established cirrhosis with portal hypertension and portocaval shunting. In this case report, we present the first case of adrenal insufficiency following treatment with budesonide for AIH.

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. e234983
Author(s):  
Timothy Bagnall ◽  
Ying Ran Tow ◽  
Nicholas Bunce ◽  
Zoe Astroulakis

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCMP) is an important, though under-recognised, syndrome which mimics acute coronary syndrome (ACS) presenting with similar clinical, biochemical and ECG features. A 68-year-old man was referred as ACS for emergency coronary angiography; however, a history of lethargy, weight loss and electrolyte abnormalities prompted further investigations. Angiography was postponed, adrenal insufficiency confirmed and steroid replacement commenced. Echocardiography demonstrated reduced left ventricular (LV) function (45%) with regional wall motion abnormalities, although angiography confirmed unobstructed arteries. Steroid replacement induced a rapid improvement in symptoms and LV function. Few cases of TCMP associated with adrenal insufficiency have been reported. This appears to be the first case describing TCMP precipitated by new-onset secondary adrenal insufficiency following long-term steroid use in a male patient, and highlights the importance of considering TCMP in patients presenting with suspected ACS. Here, prompt recognition and treatment of a serious underlying disorder prevented a potentially life-threatening Addisonian crisis.


Author(s):  
V Munro ◽  
B Tugwell ◽  
S Doucette ◽  
DB Clarke ◽  
A Lacroix ◽  
...  

Background: Patients with pituitary disorders may be placed on steroid replacement for secondary adrenal insufficiency (SAI), generally after pituitary surgery; however, data regarding recovery of long-term SAI are lacking. We conducted a study to assess the longer term recovery rate of SAI in patients with pituitary disorders. Methods: We identified all SAI patients from prospectively entered data in the Halifax Neuropituitary Database from November 1, 2005 to September 30, 2014, who had required glucocorticoid therapy for >3 months, and a minimum follow-up of 6 months. Exclusion: ACTH-secreting adenomas; peri-operative glucocorticoid treatment only; glucocorticoids for non-pituitary conditions. Results: 55 patients fulfilled the criteria, 41 (75%) of which had transsphenoidal surgery. Nine (16.4%) patients had complete recovery of SAI over a median of 20 months (range: 8–51). Smaller tumour size and initial cortisol >175 nmol/L had increased likelihood of recovery; those with secondary hypogonadism or growth hormone deficiency were less likely to recover. Conclusions: This is the first study to examine long-term recover of SAI in patients with pituitary disorders: approximately 1 in 6 patients recover adrenal function, up to 5 years after diagnosis. Consequently, patients with SAI should undergo regular testing to prevent unnecessary chronic glucocorticoid therapy.


Author(s):  
Guiomar Pinheiro ◽  
Ana Rita Costa ◽  
Ana Campar ◽  
Teresa Mendonça

Fasciitis with eosinophilia (FE) is a rare connective tissue disease. Due to its rarity, large-scale studies are lacking, which makes its treatment challenging. Systemic corticosteroids (SCSs) are the cornerstone of treatment; however, additional immunosuppressive drugs (ISDs) are frequently necessary (usually methotrexate). We report 2 patients, for whom an SCS and methotrexate were not a viable long-term option. In the first case, we were unable to taper the SCS dose without symptom relapse, the patient showed only a partial response to methotrexate and presented side effects. The second case never fully responded to the SCS and methotrexate and demonstrated serious SCS adverse effects. Both patients were started on tocilizumab with extremely favourable results, making this drug a potential therapeutic weapon for these patients.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. e227343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Kennedy ◽  
Sureshkumar Nagiah

Rhabdomyolysis is a serious and life-threatening condition which has many established causes including endocrine disturbances. Of those, thyroid, adrenal and pituitary deficiencies are the most commonly seen. Most cases of rhabdomyolysis with adrenal insufficiency that have been reported have been primary. Here, we report an encounter with a patient who presented with her second case of severe rhabdomyolysis in the setting of secondary adrenal insufficiency. The cause for corticotropic suppression was most likely autoimmune hypophysitis given the presence of other autoimmune comorbidities including a new diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis. In addition to her case, we present a brief review of the literature pertaining to cases of rhabdomyolysis attributed to adrenal insufficiency.


1986 ◽  
Vol 112 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Schopohl ◽  
A. Hauer ◽  
T. Kaliebe ◽  
G. K. Stalla ◽  
K. von Werder ◽  
...  

Abstract. ACTH secretion was studied in response to repetitive and continuous administration of human corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) in 14 healthy volunteers and 2 patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency. ACTH increases during repetitive CRF administration were within the same range in normal subjects independent of the intervals (60– 180 min) between the CRF pulses (100 μg iv). When CRF was infused continuously (100 μg/h for 3 h) after an initial CRF bolus injection (100 μg iv), ACTH and cortisol remained elevated during the infusion at a nearly constant level (ACTH: 60 ± 5 pg/ml; cortisol: 21.2 ± 1 μg/dl; x̄ ± se). A second CRF bolus injection at the end of the infusion did not lead to a significant further increase of ACTH and cortisol levels. This shows that there is no desensitisation or depletion of a ready releasable pool, as it is observed with other pituitary hormones after releasing hormone stimulation. Pulsatile administration of CRF in 2 patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency due to previous cortisol or glucocorticoid excess, respectively, revealed a blunted response to the first pulse which became normal after the following pulses. The latter could not be sustained until the next morning without CRF given overnight. These findings point to a hypothalamic defect being the cause of hypocortisolism after long-term cortisol suppression.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sébastien Préville-Ratelle ◽  
Adèle Coriati ◽  
Aurélie Ménard ◽  
Isabelle Bourdeau ◽  
François Tremblay ◽  
...  

Background. The prevalence of adrenal insufficiency (AI) in cystic fibrosis (CF) is unknown. The frequent use of glucocorticoids (inhaled or systemic) may induce the long-term suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Methods. We reviewed the results of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation tests done over a 10-year period to evaluate adrenal function in 69 CF patients of the CHUM CF clinic. Clinical characteristics of AI patients were compared to adrenal-sufficient (AS) patients. Results. AI was confirmed in 33 of the 69 CF patients. A higher rate of dysglycemia P=0.022 and of Aspergillus positive culture P=0.006 was observed in AI patients compared to AS patients. Weight, CFTR genotype, and pulmonary function were comparable between AI and AS patients. The use of systemic corticosteroids (SC) prior to the diagnosis of AI was observed in 42.4% of patients. Compared to AI patients without SC, SC-treated AI patients were older and had a higher rate of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis. Conclusion. This study is the first to systematically examine the presence of AI in the largest cohort of CF patients studied to date with a prevalence of 8%. Patients treated with corticosteroids and those colonized with Aspergillus have a greater risk of AI.


Author(s):  
Kanchana Ngaosuwan ◽  
Desmond G Johnston ◽  
Ian F Godsland ◽  
Jeremy Cox ◽  
Azeem Majeed ◽  
...  

Abstract Context Prednisolone has been recommended rather than hydrocortisone for glucocorticoid replacement in adrenal insufficiency due its longer duration of action and lower cost. Objective To determine mortality rates with prednisolone versus hydrocortisone. Design Observational study. Setting A UK primary care database (Clinical Practice Research Datalink). Participants Patients with primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency, treated with either prednisolone or hydrocortisone, and controls individually matched for age, sex, period and place of follow-up. Interventions Nil Outcomes Mortality relative to individually matched controls. Results As expected, mortality in adrenal insufficiency irrespective of cause was increased, based on 5478 patients (4228 on hydrocortisone; 1250 on prednisolone) and 54314 controls (41934 and 12380, respectively). Overall, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) was similar with the two treatments (prednisolone, 1.76 [95% CI, 1.54-2.01] vs. hydrocortisone 1.69 [1.57-1.82]; p=0.65). This was also the case for secondary adrenal insufficiency. In primary disease (1405 on hydrocortisone vs. 137 on prednisolone:13965 and 1347 controls, respectively), prednisolone-users were older, more likely to have another autoimmune disease and malignancy, and less likely to have mineralocorticoid replacement. Nevertheless, after adjustment, the HR for prednisolone-treated patients remained higher than for those taking hydrocortisone (2.92 [2.19-3.91] vs. 1.90 [1.66-2.16]; p=0.0020). Conclusions In primary but not in secondary adrenal insufficiency mortality was higher with prednisolone. The study was large, but the number of prednisolone-treated patients was small, and they had greater risk factors. Nonetheless the increased mortality associated with prednisolone persisted despite statistical adjustment. Further evidence is needed regarding the long-term safety of prednisolone as routine replacement.


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