Acute adreno-cortical insufficiency. Eight case-reports
Haegy, J.M.; Laplatte, G.
La Semaine des Hopitaux Organe Fonde Par l'Association d'Enseignement Medical des Hopitaux de Paris 58(3): 143-147
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0037-1777 PMID: 6278620 Document Number: 195001
Four female and four male adults, with acute adrenocortical insufficiency were admitted to a medical intensive care unit over a period of five years (1975-1980). Three of them were under treatment for Addison's disease. The clinical picture combines fever with signs of shock and dehydration. Increased pigmentation of the skin and laboratory data suggest the diagnosis, which is established by the serum cortisol assay. The etiology was tuberculosis in four patients. Cortical retraction was found in three others. One case followed interruption of non-substitutive corticotherapy. After 48 hours of adéquate therapy, all patients had recovered.