1. Adrenal insufficiency due to high doses of maternal corticosteroid treatment in a premature baby.
- Author
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Blondel F, Pierron C, Scalais E, and Becker M
- Subjects
- Child, Preschool, Glucocorticoids therapeutic use, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Pituitary-Adrenal System, Adrenal Insufficiency chemically induced, Adrenal Insufficiency diagnosis, Adrenal Insufficiency drug therapy, Galactosemias drug therapy, Hypoglycemia chemically induced, Hypoglycemia drug therapy, Hyponatremia drug therapy, Infant, Premature, Diseases drug therapy
- Abstract
Adrenal insufficiency (AI) in a newborn due to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis suppression after maternal glucocorticoid therapy during pregnancy is a rare condition. We report an AI triggered by a nosocomial infection in a premature newborn. The suspected mechanism was the suppression of the HPA axis due to high doses of maternal glucocorticoid treatment during pregnancy. AI was revealed by recurrent hypoglycaemia and mild hyponatraemia during the neonatal period. His twin brother did not develop AI, showing the variable sensitivity of adrenal suppression after exposure to the same glucocorticoid dose. The affected boy was substituted with hydrocortisone until the age of 2 years. At this age, basal morning values for cortisol and Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) had normalised. The patient also suffers from galactosaemia. We suggest screening for AI, by testing for hypoglycaemia and hyponatraemia, in newborns who were exposed to high doses of maternal methylprednisolone treatment during the pregnancy and to include galactosaemia in national neonatal screening programmes., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2022. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)
- Published
- 2022
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