scholarly journals Improved Urinary Cortisol Metabolome in Addison Disease: A Prospective Trial of Dual-Release Hydrocortisone

Author(s):  
Stéphanie Espiard ◽  
Johanna McQueen ◽  
Mark Sherlock ◽  
Oskar Ragnarsson ◽  
Ragnhildur Bergthorsdottir ◽  
...  

Abstract Context Oral once-daily dual-release hydrocortisone (DR-HC) replacement therapy has demonstrated an improved metabolic profile compared to conventional 3-times-daily (TID-HC) therapy among patients with primary adrenal insufficiency. This effect might be related to a more physiological cortisol profile, but also to a modified pattern of cortisol metabolism. Objective This work aimed to study cortisol metabolism during DR-HC and TID-HC. Design A randomized, 12-week, crossover study was conducted. Intervention and Participants DC-HC and same daily dose of TID-HC were administered to patients with primary adrenal insufficiency (n = 50) vs healthy individuals (n = 124) as controls. Main Outcome Measures Urinary corticosteroid metabolites were measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry at 24-hour urinary collections. Results Total cortisol metabolites decreased during DR-HC compared to TID-HC (P < .001) and reached control values (P = .089). During DR-HC, 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) activity measured by tetrahydrocortisol + 5α-tetrahydrocortisol/tetrahydrocortisone ratio was reduced compared to TID-HC (P < .05), but remained increased vs controls (P < .001). 11β-HSD2 activity measured by urinary free cortisone/free cortisol ratio was decreased with TID-HC vs controls (P < .01) but normalized with DR-HC (P = .358). 5α- and 5β-reduced metabolites were decreased with DR-HC compared to TID-HC. Tetrahydrocortisol/5α-tetrahydrocortisol ratio was increased during both treatments, suggesting increased 5β-reductase activity. Conclusions The urinary cortisol metabolome shows striking abnormalities in patients receiving conventional TID-HC replacement therapy, with increased 11β-HSD1 activity that may account for the unfavorable metabolic phenotype in primary adrenal insufficiency. Its change toward normalization with DR-HC may mediate beneficial metabolic effects. The urinary cortisol metabolome may serve as a tool to assess optimal cortisol replacement therapy.

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
Adele Latina ◽  
Massimo Terzolo ◽  
Anna Pia ◽  
Giuseppe Reimondo ◽  
Elena Castellano ◽  
...  

Adrenal insufficiency is a potentially life-threatening condition when it occurs acutely, as in adrenal hemorrhage. Generally it is not reversible and requires chronic replacement therapy. Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is a rare genetic disease characterized by alterations in heme biosynthesis that result in accumulation of precursors in tissues. A crisis can be triggered by many conditions such as surgery and infections. Symptoms are similar to those of acute hypoadrenalism. Moreover, both conditions are characterized by hyponatremia. We describe the case of a postmenopausal woman known to be affected by AIP who developed after surgery a primary adrenal insufficiency associated with adrenal enlargement; the latter completely reverted in six months.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 811-818 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathrin R Frey ◽  
Tina Kienitz ◽  
Julia Schulz ◽  
Manfred Ventz ◽  
Kathrin Zopf ◽  
...  

Context Patients with primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) or congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) receive life-long glucocorticoid (GC) therapy. Daily GC doses are often above the physiological cortisol production rate and can cause long-term morbidities such as osteoporosis. No prospective trial has investigated the long-term effect of different GC therapies on bone mineral density (BMD) in those patients. Objectives To determine if patients on hydrocortisone (HC) or prednisolone show changes in BMD after follow-up of 5.5 years. To investigate if BMD is altered after switching from immediate- to modified-release HC. Design and patients Prospective, observational, longitudinal study with evaluation of BMD by DXA at visit1, after 2.2 ± 0.4 (visit2) and after 5.5 ± 0.8 years (visit3) included 36 PAI and 8 CAH patients. Thirteen patients received prednisolone (age 52.5 ± 14.8 years; 8 women) and 31 patients received immediate-release HC (age 48.9 ± 15.8 years; 22 women). Twelve patients on immediate-release switched to modified-release HC at visit2. Results Prednisolone showed significantly lower Z-scores compared to HC at femoral neck (−0.85 ± 0.80 vs −0.25 ± 1.16, P < 0.05), trochanter (−0.96 ± 0.62 vs 0.51 ± 1.07, P < 0.05) and total hip (−0.78 ± 0.55 vs 0.36 ± 1.04, P < 0.05), but not at lumbar spine, throughout the study. Prednisolone dose decreased by 8% over study time, but no significant effect was seen on BMD. BMD did not change significantly after switching from immediate- to modified-release HC. Conclusions The use of prednisolone as hormone replacement therapy results in significantly lower BMD compared to HC. Patients on low-dose HC replacement therapy showed unchanged Z-scores within the normal reference range during the study period.


2018 ◽  
Vol 104 (3) ◽  
pp. 779-784 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Colombo ◽  
Simone De Leo ◽  
Marta Di Stefano ◽  
Guia Vannucchi ◽  
Luca Persani ◽  
...  

Abstract Context Two tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), lenvatinib and vandetanib, are often used to treat advanced radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (RAI-R DTC) and medullary thyroid cancer (MTC), respectively. Fatigue is a common adverse event during treatment with these and other TKIs and a common cause of drug discontinuation or dosage reduction. Cases Description We evaluated the basal and stimulated adrenal function in 12 patients with advanced RAI-R DTC and MTC treated with lenvatinib or vandetanib, respectively. Ten patients complaining of fatigue showed a progressive ACTH increase with normal cortisol levels. Moreover, six of 10 patients had a blunted cortisol response after ACTH stimulation, thus confirming the diagnosis of primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI). The causal relationship between TKIs and PAI onset was also demonstrated by the repeated testing of adrenal function before and during treatment. Patients with PAI received cortisone acetate replacement therapy, with a substantial and prompt improvement in the degree of fatigue, as assessed by the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.03, thus supporting the major impact of impaired adrenal function in the genesis of this adverse event. Conclusions We show that the occurrence of PAI may be a common cause of fatigue during lenvatinib and vandetanib treatment, and we therefore recommend testing adrenal function for a prompt start of replacement therapy to avoid treatment discontinuation, dosage reduction, and potentially severe PAI complications.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenny Carolina Bello ◽  
Xiaolei Chen ◽  
Kenneth K Chen

Abstract Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms in pregnancy, ranging from occasional nausea to fulminant and intractable vomiting. Many underlying metabolic disorders can mimic this, primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) being one of them. Here, we present a case of adrenal insufficiency early in pregnancy. A 28 year old lady G1P0 at 8 weeks of gestations, with a past medical history of Grave’s Disease, presented to our hospital on 3 occasions over one week with severe intractable nausea and vomiting. On prior visits, she had received intravenous fluids and discharged home. Laboratory work-up was ordered on the third visit and she was found to have severe hyponatremia with level of 111mMol/L. TSH and FT4 levels were both within the reference range. AM cortisol level was low at 2.3mcg/dL. ACTH and renin were both significantly elevated confirming diagnosis of PAI. Intravenous hydrocortisone was commenced immediately with rapid resolution of her symptoms and correction of her hyponatremia. She was followed at the endocrinology clinic, with appropriate up-titration of glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid doses throughout her pregnancy. Diagnosis of PAI is usually established prior to pregnancy. Presentation during pregnancy is not common, but it should be considered as a differential diagnosis when symptoms are out of proportion to the gestational status. Normal pregnancy is accompanied by progressive increase in circulating CRH and ACTH, increasing the levels of free cortisol as early as 7 weeks of gestation, rising up to 20-fold by the end of pregnancy. These physiologic changes could explain early presentation of adrenal crisis given insufficient glucocorticoid production. A delay in diagnosis and treatment increases the risk of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality significantly. Management of PAI during pregnancy can be challenging as there are no established guidelines and they have mainly been based on observational studies (1). The appropriate selection and dose of the glucocorticoid is important for the treatment of PAI to minimize adverse effects on mother and baby (2). At the time of active labor and delivery, stress doses of glucocorticoids need to be administered to prevent adrenal crisis (3). In conclusion, early diagnosis and appropriate management of PAI during pregnancy is necessary to sustain a healthy pregnancy. Bibliography 1 Husebye ES, Allolio B, Arlt W, et al. Consensus statement on the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with primary adrenal insufficiency. J Intern Med 2014; 275: 104– 15. 2 Bandoli G, Palmsten K, Forbess C, et al. A review of systemic corticosteroid use in pregnancy and the risk of select pregnancy and birth outcomes. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2017; 43(3): 489–502 3 Chen K, Powrie R. Approach to the use of Glucocorticoids in Pregnancy for Nonobstetric Indications. de Swiet’s Medical Disorders in Obstetric Practice: Fifth Edition. 736-741.


2000 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 31-45
Author(s):  
V. V. Fadeev ◽  
G. A. Melnichenko

Adrenal insufficiency is a clinical syndrome caused by insufficient secretion of hormones by the adrenal cortex, which is the result of a malfunction of one or more parts of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system [2]. Primary chronic adrenal insufficiency (1-CNI) develops as a result of the destruction of more than 90% of the cortex of both adrenal glands by a pathological process. The main causes of 1-CNN are currently autoimmune (80–85%) and tuberculosis (5–10%) destruction of the adrenal cortex [2, 3]. 1-CNN of the indicated etiology is better known as "Addison's disease." 1-CNN is a relatively rare disease (40-110 new cases per 1 million people per year) [2, 3], but it is of considerable importance in the practice of endocrinology. Without exception, all patients with a diagnosis of 1-chronic heart failure need lifelong replacement therapy with corticosteroids (CS), which will be discussed in this work.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentina Guarnotta ◽  
Claudia Di Stefano ◽  
Carla Giordano

Abstract Purpose: To compare dual-release hydrocortisone (DR-HC) and conventional glucocorticoids (GCs) on bone metabolism in patients with primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI).Methods: Thirty-five patients with PAI maintained conventional GCs (group A), while other 35 were switched to DR-HC (group B). At baseline and after 18, 36 and 60 months of conventional GCs and DR-HC treatment, the clinical and bone metabolic parameters were evaluated. Results: After 60 months of follow-up, patients in group A had a significant increase in Body Mass Index (BMI) (p=0.004) and Waist Circumference (WC) (p=0.026) and a significant decrease in osteocalcin (p=0.002), bone alkaline phosphatase (p=0.029), lumbar spine bone mass density (BMD) T and Z scores (p<0.001 and p=0.001, respectively) than baseline. By contrast, patients in group B had a significant decrease in WC (p=0.047) and increase in bone alkaline phosphatase (p=0.019), lumbar spine BMD T score (p=0.032), femoral neck BMD T and Z scores (p=0.023 and p=0.036, respectively) than baseline. Conclusions: Long-term conventional steroid replacement therapy is associated with a decrease in BMD, notably at lumbar spine, and an increase in vertebral fractures rate. By contrast, DR-HC treatment is associated with improvement of BMD.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Espiard ◽  
Johanna McQueen ◽  
Mark Sherlock ◽  
Oskar Ragnarsson ◽  
Ragnhildur Bergthorsdottir ◽  
...  

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