Bilateral adrenal tuberculosis is a rare disease and often occurs bilaterally. We report a case of bilateral adrenal masses due to tuberculosis with adrenal insufficiency. The patient was a 39- year-old man who had complained of intermittent pain of right upper quadrant and general weakness. The plasma levels of cortisol and catecholamine were normal. The levels of 24-hour urinary catecholamine and VMA were also normal. But the levels of 24-hour urinary 17- hydroxycorticosteroids and 17-ketosteroids were reduced. Abdominal CT showed about 6.5 x4.8 x 5.4cm sized left adrenal mass and 4.0 x 2.8 x 3.6cm sized right adrenal mass with calcification. The result of sono-guided percutaneous needle biopsy was adrenal tuberculosis. The patient was treated with antituberculous chemotherapy and hormonal replacement. But the masses are unchanged during 5-months follow-up.
17-Ketosteroids ; Adrenal Glands ; Adrenal Insufficiency ; Biopsy, Needle ; Drug Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Hydroxycorticosteroids ; Plasma ; Rare Diseases ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tuberculosis*

Adrenal gland is an uncommon primary site in non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphoma and reports of primary bilateral adrenal lymphoma with its functional impairment are extremely rare. Only 15 cases were reported during past 50 years, and 11 of them expired within 6 months after diagnosis.A woman came to emergency room with lethargy, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Bilateral adrenal enlargement was found on a previous abdominal sonogram. Under the impression of acute adrenal insufficiency, intravenous hydrocortisone and vigorous saline infusion were given immediately. Later, the endocrine function tests revealed primary hypoadrenalism. The 1st CHOP chemotherapy was administered after tissue diagnosis. This report describes the clinical, radiologic, and pathologic findings in a 58-year-old woman with adrenal insufficiency due to primary bilateral adrenal lymphoma with the review of previous literatures.
Abdominal Pain ; Addison Disease ; Adrenal Glands ; Adrenal Insufficiency* ; Diagnosis ; Diarrhea ; Drug Therapy ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Female ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Lethargy ; Lymphoma* ; Middle Aged

PURPOSE: In medulloblastoma, craniospinal radiation therapy combined with chemotherapy improves the prognosis of tumors but results in significant endocrine morbidities. We studied the endocrine morbidity, especially growth pattern changes. METHODS: The medical records of 37 patients with medulloblastoma were reviewed retrospectively for evaluation of endocrine function and growth. We performed the growth hormone stimulation test in 16 patients whose growth velocity was lower than 4 cm/yr. RESULTS: The height loss was progressive in most patients. The height standard deviation score (SDS) decreased from -0.1+/-1.3 initially to -0.6+/-1.0 after 1 year(P<0.01). Growth hormone deficiency(GHD) developed in 14 patients. During the 2 years of growth hormone(GH) treatment, the improvements of height gain or progressions of height loss were not observed. Twelve patients(32.4 percent) revealed primary hypothyroidism. One of six patients diagnosed with compensated hypothyroidism progressed to primary hypothyroidism. Primary and hypergonadotropic hypogonadism were observed in two and one patients respectively. There was no proven case of central adrenal insufficiency. CONCLUSION: Growth impairment developed frequently, irrespective of the presence of GHD in childhood survivors of medulloblastoma. GH treatment may prevent further loss of height. The impairment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroidal axis is less common, while central adrenal insufficiency was not observed.
Adrenal Insufficiency ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Child* ; Drug Therapy ; Growth Hormone ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Hypothyroidism ; Medical Records ; Medulloblastoma* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survivors

Adrenal gland is a common site of metastatic tumors such as breast cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer. When adrenal mass is found incidentally, adenoma is the most common among single adrenal masses. But in the case of bilateral adrenal masses, infection, bilateral metastases and hemorrhage are common. Secondary involvement of the adrenal gland is found in 25% of autopsy cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. However, adrenal insufficiency is rare because it becomes apparent only when approximately 90% of adrenal cortex is destructed. We exprienced two cases of malignant lymphoma which involved the adrenal glands bilaterally. One case in which adrenal insufficiency was suspicious, was accompanied by hypovolemic shock and sepsis at the initial presentation. He died of sepsis combined with DIC even though hydrocortisone, intravenous saline infusion, and antibiotics therapy were started immediately. The other one was found incidentally, in which adrenal infiltraion was confirmed by CT scan. Hormonal level was normal and adrenal masses disappeared after chemotherapy.
Adenoma ; Adrenal Cortex ; Adrenal Glands* ; Adrenal Insufficiency ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Autopsy ; Breast Neoplasms ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Dacarbazine ; Drug Therapy ; Hemorrhage ; Hydrocortisone ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Sepsis ; Shock ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Primary adrenal lymphoma is extremely rare with only 65 cases reported in the worldwide literature until 1998. The presenting symptom may be related to the lymphoma itself or to adrenal insufficiency. Most of the lymphomas were of B cell diffuse large cell type with only two seemed to be T-cell in origin. The therapeutic modalities include surgery, combination chemotherapy, surgery followed by chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, in addition to corticosteroid replacement. A 65 year old man with chronic hepatitis C and hemangioma of liver presented with general weakness. Abdominal ultrasonography showed bilateral adrenal masses. The adrenal masses were diagnosed as a primary adrenal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma by open biopsy. The histologic findings were consistent with B cell diffuse large cell lymphoma. After three cycles of CHOP chemotherapy, the adrenal mass disappeared on follow up abdominal CT scan, but the patient died 4 months after diagnosis due to sepsis.
Adrenal Glands ; Adrenal Insufficiency ; Aged ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Drug Therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hemangioma ; Hepatitis C, Chronic ; Humans ; Liver ; Lymphoma* ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Sepsis ; T-Lymphocytes ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography

A middle-aged male patient with recurrent hypoglycemia was diagnosed as insulinoma according to the symptoms and the laboratory tests. Laboratory tests also showed low cortisol and adrenocortico-tropic hormone (ACTH) levels, therefore adrenal insufficiency was diagnosed and hydrocortisone was given. The hormone replacement therapy was terminated after surgery, and ACTH and cortisol levels returned to normal.
Adrenal Insufficiency ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; blood ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; therapeutic use ; Insulinoma ; complications ; diagnosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

Although tubercrlosis is one of the recognized causes of adrenal insufficiency, little is known about adrenal function in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. Patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis are at risk from sudden and unexpected death which can occur during the first few weeks of treatment. There are many reports that patients who received rifampicin as a part of their treatment appeared to show impairment in adrenocortical function when compared to a group who received anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy which did not include rifampicin. Adrenocortical function was studied in 15 patients(7 males, 8 females) with active pulmonary tuberculosis, before and 2-weeks after the anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy including rifampicin. At 08: 00 hour a base-line sample of venous blood was taken. One hour after the administration of 0.25mg of Synacthen, a further blood specimen was taken. The base-line and 1-hour specimens were analysed for plasma cortisol and electrolytes.All were initially found to have a normal cortisol response to rapid ACTH stimulation test. Following a 2-week course of anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy including rifampicin there was 1 case(6.6%) of a suboptimal response.Rifampicin, a powerful anti-tuberculosis drug, is a known inducer of the hepatic microsomal enzyme system and has been shown to cause an enhanced clearance of endogenous cortisol. Findings reported in this paper suggest that the adrenocortical function is compromised in some case(6.6%) of tuberculosis patients. It will therefore be necessary to undertake detailed investigations on the effect of treatment with daily and fully intermittent regimens containing rifampicin on the function of this endocrine gland.
Adrenal Insufficiency ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Drug Therapy ; Endocrine Glands ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Male ; Plasma ; Puberty, Precocious ; Rifampin ; Tuberculosis ; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Primary adrenal lymphoma is a very rare disease and it is known to have a poor prognosis. We report here on a case of primary adrenal insufficiency that was secondary to primary bilateral adrenal lymphoma. A 54-year old man was hospitalized because of easy fatigability, weight loss and consistent malaise for 6 months. The physical examination revealed hyperpigmentation on the anterior chest and hypotension. According these findings and symptoms, we did a rapid ACTH stimulation test with a clinical suspicion of adrenal insufficiency. He showed an inadequate adrenal response and so he was diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency. The abdominal CT images showed bilateral huge adrenal masses and increased uptake of the adrenal glands on PET. The pathologic diagnosis by ultrasound-guided gun biopsy of the right adrenal gland was diffuse large B cell lymphoma. The patient was administered combination chemotherapy with the R-CHOP regimen, and after 8-cycles of chemotherapy, he achieved complete remission of tumor according to the image studies and he recovered his adrenal function. Primary adrenal lymphoma, although a rare disease, should be considered in patients with bilateral enlargement of the adrenal glands and when the adrenal glands show increased uptake on a PET scan, and especially there is adrenal insufficiency.
Addison Disease ; Adrenal Glands ; Adrenal Insufficiency ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; Biopsy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Humans ; Hyperpigmentation ; Hypotension ; Lymphoma ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin ; Physical Examination ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Prognosis ; Rare Diseases ; Thorax ; Weight Loss

Etomidate and midazolam are the most popular drugs among the induction agents for emergent endotracheal intubation. The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of adrenal insufficiency and mortality between the septic shock patients who received etomidate (ETM group) and those who received midazolam (MDZ group). Between November 2004 and September 2006, 65 patients were analyzed in this study. The hospital mortality rate was 36% in the ETM group (n=25) and 50% in the MDZ group (n=40), which was not statistically significant (p=0.269). The incidence of relative adrenal insufficiency was significantly higher in the ETM group than in the MDZ group (84% and 48%, respectively; p=0.003). On multivariate analysis, the use of etomidate was the only significant factor affecting the incidence of relative adrenal insufficiency (odds radio, 5.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.61- 19.4). In conclusion, we think that physicians who treat patients with septic shock should be aware that etomidate can cause adrenal insufficiency, and should start corticosteroids if etomidate is administered.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones/therapeutic use ; Adrenal Insufficiency/chemically induced/complications ; Aged ; Anesthetics, Intravenous/*adverse effects ; Etomidate/*adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; *Intubation, Intratracheal ; Male ; Midazolam/*adverse effects ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock, Septic/complications/drug therapy/*mortality

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the adrenocortical function in children with severe and critical enterovirus 71 infection by using a high-dose (250 µg) adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test. And to at provide experimental basis for glucocorticoid in the treatment of hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD).

METHODThis was a prospective multi-center study which was carried out in PICUs of Beijing Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou Children's Hospital, Kaifeng Children's Hospital and Linyi People's Hospital in Shandong province. Children with severe and critical hand-foot-mouth disease admitted to PICUs of the four hospitals from June 2009 to April 2010 were enrolled in this study, and EV71 virus nucleic acid test and high-dose (250 µg) ACTH stimulation started at the same time. EV71 virus nucleic acid positive 51 cases were eventually enrolled in the study. Cortisol test was performed at baseline (T0) and after high-dose (250 µg) ACTH stimulation at 30 minutes (T30), 60 minutes (T60) in the first 6 hours after admission, but before glucocorticoid was given. The adrenocortical function was evaluated according to ΔTmax [ΔTmax=(T30, T60 maximum)-T0]. Diagnostic criteria of adrenal insufficiency (AI) is increment (ΔTmax)≤9 µg/dl.

RESULTThe incidence of AI in 51 cases was 52.94% (27/51). The incidence of AI in severe group was 44.74% (17/38), which was significantly higher in critical group 76.92% (10/13), P<0.05. Of the cases with a pediatric critical illness score (PCIS)≤70, 81.82% (9/11) had adrenal insufficiency, and it was 28.57% (4/14) when PCIS≥90. The incidence of AI was 75% (6/8) and 48.84% (21/43) in death and survivor group respectively, but there were no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Baseline (T0) cortisol in death group was higher than survivor group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONAI may occur in children with enterovirus 71 infection. The critical enterovirus 71 infection had a high incidence of AI. AI may affect the prognosis of patients with severe and critical enterovirus 71 infection. Exogenous glucocorticoids administration may be considered when AI is identified or highly suspected. The timing, dosage and regimen of glucocorticoid are still unclear. Further animal experiments and clinical trials are needed.

Adrenal Insufficiency ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Adrenocorticotropic Hormone ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Child, Preschool ; Enterovirus A, Human ; pathogenicity ; Female ; Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease ; complications ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; virology ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies