Addison’s Disease Presenting with Abdominal Pain

2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 102-103
Author(s):  
Tejal Desai ◽  
◽  
Tristan Richardson ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Abdominal Pain ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Adrenal Insufficiency ◽  
Unusual Case ◽  
Primary Adrenal Insufficiency ◽  
Prompt Treatment ◽  
Bilateral Destruction ◽  
Important Disease

Primary Adrenal Insufficiency is due to bilateral destruction of the adrenal cortex and has a prevalence of approximately 40-60 per million adults. 1 The commonest cause is autoimmune. 1 Prompt treatment not only restores quality of life but also a normal life expectancy. 2 Here we present an unusual case of primary adrenal insufficiency, which illustrates how such an important disease often provides a diagnostic conundrum.

scholarly journals MANAGEMENT OF ENDOCRINE DISEASE: Epidemiology, quality of life and complications of primary adrenal insufficiency: a review

2016 ◽  
Vol 175 (3) ◽  
pp. R107-R116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Bensing ◽  
Anna-Lena Hulting ◽  
Eystein S Husebye ◽  
Olle Kämpe ◽  
Kristian Løvås
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Adrenal Insufficiency ◽  
Rare Disease ◽  
Mineral Density ◽  
Primary Adrenal Insufficiency ◽  
Disease Epidemiology ◽  
Autoimmune Polyendocrine Syndrome ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Patients Experience

In this article, we review published studies covering epidemiology, natural course and mortality in primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) or Addison’s disease. Autoimmune PAI is a rare disease with a prevalence of 100–220 per million inhabitants. It occurs as part of an autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome in more than half of the cases. The patients experience impaired quality of life, reduced parity and increased risk of preterm delivery. Following a conventional glucocorticoid replacement regimen leads to a reduction in bone mineral density and an increase in the prevalence of fractures. Registry studies indicate increased mortality, especially evident in patients diagnosed with PAI at a young age and in patients with the rare disease autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type-1. Most notably, unnecessary deaths still occur because of adrenal crises. All these data imply the need to improve the therapy and care of patients with PAI.

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