1. Primary Adrenal Insufficiency Due to Bilateral Adrenal Infarction in COVID-19
- Author
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Madson Q. Almeida, Maria Candida Barisson Villares Fragoso, Sabrina R Figueiredo, Berenice B. Mendonca, Ana Alice Wolf Maciel, Gustavo F C Fagundes, Davi V Ramos, Debora Raquel Benedita Terrabuio, Ana Claudia Latronico, Isabel Q Menezes, Fernando Morbeck Almeida Coelho, Iza F R Machado, and Eduardo Luiz Rachid Cançado
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,Aldosterone ,business.industry ,Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism ,Fludrocortisone ,Biochemistry (medical) ,Clinical Biochemistry ,Infarction ,medicine.disease ,Biochemistry ,Gastroenterology ,Primary Adrenal Insufficiency ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Endocrinology ,chemistry ,Antiphospholipid syndrome ,Internal medicine ,Adrenal insufficiency ,medicine ,Adrenal Hemorrhage ,business ,medicine.drug ,Hydrocortisone - Abstract
Context Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a proinflammatory and prothrombotic condition, but its impact on adrenal function has not been adequately evaluated. Case report A 46-year-old woman presented with abdominal pain, hypotension, and skin hyperpigmentation after COVID-19 infection. The patient had hyponatremia, serum cortisol Discussion We identified 9 articles, including case reports, of new-onset adrenal insufficiency and/or adrenal hemorrhage/infarction on CT in COVID-19. Adrenal insufficiency was hormonally diagnosed in 5 cases, but ACTH levels were measured in only 3 cases (high in 1 case and normal/low in other 2 cases). Bilateral adrenal nonhemorrhagic or hemorrhagic infarction was identified in 5 reports (2 had adrenal insufficiency, 2 had normal cortisol levels, and 1 case had no data). Interestingly, the only case with well-characterized new-onset acute primary adrenal insufficiency after COVID-19 had a previous diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome. In our case, antiphospholipid syndrome diagnosis was established only after the adrenal infarction triggered by COVID-19. Conclusion Our findings support the association between bilateral adrenal infarction and antiphospholipid syndrome triggered by COVID-19. Therefore, patients with positive antiphospholipid antibodies should be closely monitored for symptoms or signs of acute adrenal insufficiency during COVID-19.
- Published
- 2021