scholarly journals SAT-LB43 Allgrove’s: A Syndrome for the “A”ges

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Bailey ◽  
Alexandra Nyquist ◽  
David Tyler Broome ◽  
Robert S Zimmerman ◽  
Vinni Makin

Abstract Allgrove’s syndrome is an inherited condition caused by mutations in the AAAS gene (encoding the protein ALADIN) and is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern (1). It classically is characterized by three specific features: achalasia, Addison’s disease, and alacrima (reduced or absent ability to secrete tears). This has led to the name “Triple A syndrome”, and some have suggested a 4th ‘A’ of autonomic disturbance (2). It is important to note that the phenotype of this condition is variable, and some patients may have all three (or four) of the manifestations at initial presentation, and that other patients may develop or have worsening of the ‘As’ over time. In this clinical vignette, we present a patient with Allgrove’s syndrome who developed clinical manifestations of the third ‘A’ of Addison’s disease later in life. A 46-year-old female patient presented to our tertiary referral center for follow-up of Allgrove’s disease after having been diagnosed with genetic testing as an adolescent. Prior to presentation, she underwent esophagectomy in 1995 and additionally had confirmed alacrima with ophthalmology. She was undergoing annual surveillance testing with 8 am cortisol and ACTH stimulation testing to monitor for the development of adrenal insufficiency. Prior to consultation, her baseline cortisol was 8.7 ug/dL. At presentation and the age of 46, her ACTH stimulation test (0.25 mg cosyntropin, 3 timepoints) was positive for adrenal insufficiency with a baseline cortisol of < 0.5 ug/dL (8 am), with 30-minute value of 4.4 ug/dL and 60-minute value of 6.3 ug/dL (peak). She was started on replacement dosing of hydrocortisone 20 mg at 8 am and 10 mg at 2 pm, in addition to calcium and vitamin D supplementation. Of note, her adrenal antibody (21-hydroxylase antibodies) were negative on two separate occasions. Allgrove’s syndrome is a rare condition described by the development of three, or at times four, characteristics with support of genetic testing. This case demonstrates that patients with Allgrove’s syndrome can present with two clinical manifestations of the condition (alicrima and achalasia) and develop the third (adrenal insufficiency) later in life. Therefore, regular screening for the missing clinical manifestation of this disease should be considered. References: 1. National Institute of Health: Genetic and Rare Disease Information Center. Triple A Syndrome. Genetics Home Reference. February 2010; http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/triple-a-syndrome. Accessed 2/1/2020. 2. Kimber J, McLean BN, Prevett M, Hammans SR. Allgrove or 4 “A” syndrome: an autosomal recessive syndrome causing multisystem neurological disease. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2003;74:654-657.

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hong Ouyang ◽  
Bo Chen ◽  
Na Wu ◽  
Ling Li ◽  
Runyu Du ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Most patients with congenital adrenal hypoplasia (AHC) develop symptoms during infantile and juvenile periods, with varying clinical manifestations. AHC is a disease that is easily misdiagnosed as Addison’s disease or congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). There was also a significant time difference between the age at which patients developed symptoms and the age at which they were diagnosed with AHC. Most patients showed early symptoms during infantile and juvenile periods, but were diagnosed with AHC many years later. Case presentation We are currently reporting a male patient who developed systemic pigmentation at age 2 and was initially diagnosed with Addison’s disease. At 22 years of age, he experienced a slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE), a disease mostly seen in adolescents aged 8–15 years, an important cause of which is endocrine disorder. Testes evaluated using color Doppler Ultrasonography suggested microcalcifications. Further genetic testing and auxiliary examinations revealed that the patient had hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) and DAX-1 gene disorders, at which time he was diagnosed with AHC complicated by HH. He was given hormone replacement therapy, followed by regular outpatient review to adjust the medication. Conclusions The typical early symptoms of AHC are hyperpigmentation and ion disturbance during infantile and juvenile periods, while few patients with AHC develop puberty disorders as early symptoms. AHC is prone to being misdiagnosed as Addison’s disease, and then gradually develops the symptoms of HH in adolescence. The definitive diagnosis of AHC ultimately is based on the patient’s clinical presentation, laboratory results and genetic testing results.


2018 ◽  
Vol 56 (6) ◽  
pp. 896-900 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacopo Manso ◽  
Raffaele Pezzani ◽  
Riccardo Scarpa ◽  
Nicoletta Gallo ◽  
Corrado Betterle

Abstract Autoimmune Addison’s disease (AAD) is the most frequent cause of adrenocortical insufficiency. The natural history of AAD usually comprises five consecutive stages with the first stage characterized by the increase of plasma renin consistent with the impairment of pars glomerulosa, which is usually the first affected layer of the adrenal cortex. We describe a 19-year-old female with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) who underwent an autoantibody screening due to having the personal and family history of other autoimmune diseases in the absence of relevant clinical manifestations. She was positive for adrenal cortex autoantibodies (ACA) and steroid 21-hydroxylase autoantibodies (21-OH Ab) at high titers. She had increased basal levels of ACTH with normal basal cortisol not responding to ACTH stimulation, reduced levels of dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate but normal levels of orthostatic renin and aldosterone. This scenario was consistent with a subclinical AAD presenting with first impairments in pars fasciculata and reticularis and conserved pars glomerulosa function. Only subsequently, progressive deficiency in pars glomerulosa function has become evident. Review of the literature showed that there was only one case, reported to date, with a similar atypical natural history of AAD. The strategies for screening for ACA/21-OH Ab in patients with HT are discussed.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1958 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 660-660

Adrenal steroids exert a depressant effect on the release of pituitary adrenocorticotrophic hormone. It is therefore of interest to ascertain whether there is an increased secretion of ACTH in Addison's disease because of the deficiency of adrenal steroids in the plasma in this condition. The concentration of ACTH was determined by measuring the production of corticosteroids in the hypophysectomized dog as a measure of the amount of ACTH in plasma obtained from humans. In normal adults the amount of ACTH circulating in the plasma is so small that 20 to 31 ml of plasma does not contain sufficient ACTH to cause a significant increase in adrenal corticosteroids in adrenal venous blood collected from the test animal. Fifty-one determinations in 32 patients with adrenal insufficiency revealed a mean concentration of ACTH in the plasma which was significantly elevated over that found for plasma from 16 controlled samples obtained from normal subjects. The increased concentration of ACTH found in 10 patients with Addison's disease was significantly reduced by the intravenous infusion of hydrocortisone. It was not possible to correlate the increased concentration of ACTH in the plasma of patients with Addison's disease with the clinical manifestations or duration of the disease. The relative suppressive effect of various amounts and kinds of corticosteroids was studied.


Author(s):  
Caroline Geenen ◽  
Ingrid Tein ◽  
Robert M. Ehrlich

ABSTRACT:Background: Increased intracranial pressure with encephalopathy has rarely been reported in Addison’s disease. Method: Case Study. Results: A 16-year-old female who presented with cerebral edema of unknown etiology was eventually diagnosed as having Addison’s disease. She had early morning headaches, fatiguability, diarrhea and deterioration in school performance. She was hyponatremic with a serum sodium of 128 mmol/L and hyperkalemic with a serum potassium of 5.9 mmol/L. She had a low serum osmolality (264 mosm), high urine osmolality (533 mosm) and high urine sodium (87 mosm). She had a postural drop in blood pressure and diffuse hyperpigmentation. An ACTH stimulation test revealed a low baseline Cortisol and no response to ACTH. Plasma renin activity was increased. Serum ACTH was elevated. She responded well to intravenous fluids and solu-cortef and was discharged on hydrocortisone and florinef. She remains well 18 months after the acute episode with no neurologic complaints or findings. Conclusion: Addison’s Disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of symptomatic cerebral edema and idiopathic intracranial hypertension.


2015 ◽  
Vol 55 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharina Schultebraucks ◽  
Katja Wingenfeld ◽  
Jana Heimes ◽  
Marcus Quinkler ◽  
Christian Otte

1996 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Sadek ◽  
M Schaer

Fourteen dogs diagnosed with Addison's disease and having atypical serum electrolyte levels are described. Seventy-eight percent were female, and most showed signs of inappetence, weakness, or vomiting. Ninety-three percent of the cases had either hyponatremia without hyperkalemia or normal serum electrolyte concentrations. Hemogram features were variable and were not useful in suggesting a diagnosis of hypoadrenocorticism. The results of this study show that normal or mild serum electrolyte changes in a dog with clinical signs compatible with Addison's disease should not exclude this diagnosis from consideration. Definitive diagnosis depends on the demonstration of inadequate adrenocortical response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation.


1980 ◽  
Vol 95 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Jara-Albarrán ◽  
J. Bayort ◽  
A. Caballero ◽  
R. Eusebio ◽  
P. García-Peris ◽  
...  

Abstract. Somatostatin (250 μg as a bolus iv and 250 μg as a I h infusion) was administered to 6 patients with primary adrenal insufficiency (Addison's disease). The fall in plasma ACTH during the infusion period ranged between 0–30% with a mean reduction of 11.2 ± 11.6%. These findings suggest that with the method employed, somatostatin is not an inhibitor of ACTH secretion in a condition in which glucocorticoids are lacking.


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