1/31. Unusual association of thyroiditis, Addison's disease, ovarian failure and celiac disease in a young woman.The coexistence of autoimmune endocrine diseases, particularly autoimmune thyroid disease and celiac disease (CD), has recently been reported. We here present a 23-year-old woman with a diagnosis of hypothyroidism due to Hashimoto's thyroiditis, autoimmune Addison's disease, and kariotypically normal spontaneous premature ovarian failure. Considering the close association between autoimmune diseases and CD, we decided to search for IgA anti-endomysium antibodies (EmA) in the serum. The positivity of EmA and the presence of total villous atrophy at jejunal biopsy allowed the diagnosis of CD. On a gluten-free diet the patient showed a marked clinical improvement accompanied, over a 3-month period, by a progressive decrease in the need for thyroid and adrenal replacement therapies. After 6 months, serum EmA became negative and after 12 months a new jejunal biopsy showed complete mucosal recovery. After 18 months on gluten-free diet, the anti-thyroid antibodies titre decreased significantly, and we could discontinue thyroid substitutive therapy. This case emphasizes the association between autoimmune polyglandular disease and CD; the precocious identification of these cases is clinically relevant not only for the high risk of complications (e.g. lymphoma) inherent to untreated CD, but also because CD is one of the causes for the failure of substitute hormonal therapy in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = endocrine (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/31. White Addison's disease: what is the possible cause?A case of chronic primary adrenal insufficiency without hyperpigmentation in a 64-year-old woman is reported. Due to the absence of hyperpigmentation the diagnosis was delayed and she became critically ill. During endocrine evaluation, in order to investigate the mechanism responsible for the absence of hyperpigmentation, skin biopsy was done and hormones responsible for the skin pigmentation were measured. Absence of hyperpigmentation is explained by high degree of melanosome degradation in secondary lysosomes called "compound melanosomes", which overwhelmed increased stimulation of the skin pigmentation. melanocyte-stimulating hormones were elevated with a strikingly high beta-LPH/ACTH ratio. To our knowledge, this is the first study of pathogenic mechanisms responsible for the absence of hyperpigmentation in white Addison's disease.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = endocrine (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/31. Addison's disease: the potentially life-threatening tan.Addison's disease is a potentially life-threatening endocrine disorder. The classic dermatologic sign of Addison's disease is diffuse hyperpigmentation of the skin with focal hyperpigmentation of scars, nails, and the oral mucosa. Recognition of these dermatologic manifestations in a patient with otherwise vague constitutional symptoms warrants a consideration of Addison's disease.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = endocrine (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/31. dehydroepiandrosterone replacement in addison's disease.Addison's disease is a rare endocrine disorder which can be life-threatening. It can also interfere with the normal development of adrenarche, resulting in the absence of pubic and axillary hair growth. We report a case of satisfactory restoration of adrenarche through DHEA administered in conjunction with the standard glucocortisone and fluorocortisone replacement.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = endocrine (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/31. A patient with autoimmune hepatitis type I, Addison's disease, atrophic thyroiditis, atrophic gastritis, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and heterozygous alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency.This report describes a 60-yr-old white male presenting with decompensated liver cirrhosis. He had a history of Addison's disease for 36 yr, primary hypothyroidism for 5 yr, and moderate alcohol consumption. His laboratory studies and a liver biopsy supported the diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis. Furthermore, he was found to be heterozygous for the piZ allele of the alpha1-antitrypsin gene with normal serum alpha1-antitrypsin levels and absence of pulmonary affection. Mucosal biopsies revealed moderately severe atrophic gastritis; however, signs of pernicious anemia were missing. An association of autoimmune hepatitis with endocrine disorders and atrophic gastritis has been described. Long term hydrocortisone therapy for his adrenal insufficiency may have prevented a faster course of the liver disease, whereas the heterozygous alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency and moderate alcohol consumption constituted additional risk factors ultimately leading to the development of cirrhosis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = endocrine (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/31. Localized non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the adrenal and thyroid glands.A case of immunoblastic lymphoma, involving only the thyroid and the adrenal glands, is presented. The patient had clinical symptoms and findings of Addison's disease, and computed tomography (CT) demonstrated bilateral adrenal tumoral enlargement. He also had euthyroid diffuse multinodular goiter. The diagnosis of the patient was based on the cytological examination of the aspiration materials from both endocrine glands. The patient received "m-BNCOD" chemotherapy regimen and replacement therapy for Addison's disease. At the end of three courses, a partial response was obtained.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = endocrine (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/31. Addisonian crisis precipitated by thyroxine therapy: a complication of type 2 autoimmune polyglandular syndrome.hypothyroidism is a common condition. Rarely, it may occur in combination with autoimmune failure of other endocrine glands (autoimmune polyendocrinopathy syndrome type 2, previously known as Schmidt's syndrome). In such cases, restoring normal thyroid function may precipitate adrenal failure. Clinicians should have a high index of suspicion for this condition in patients with Addison's disease, those with a family history of autoimmune endocrine gland failure, patients with one autoimmune endocrine disease who develop nonspecific or serious illness, and patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus whose insulin requirements drop without obvious explanation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3keywords = endocrine (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/31. Addison's crisis in adolescent patients with previously diagnosed diabetes mellitus as manifestation of polyglandular autoimmune syndrome type II--report of two patients.We report on two female adolescents--both diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus in early childhood--who presented with signs of severe metabolic decompensation. In both cases recompensation was difficult, and during the stay in hospital increasing discoloration of palmar creases was observed. ACTH testing demonstrated cortisol deficiency in both patients. In addition, autoimmune thyroiditis was diagnosed in one patient. As a polyglandular autoimmune syndrome was suspected, autoantibody studies were performed and the presence of autoantibodies against thyroid and adrenal tissue was established. Polyglandular autoimmune syndrome (PGA) type II can lead to subsequent manifestation of deficiencies of several endocrine glands. Although PGA type II usually presents at a more advanced age, adolescents may also present with the full spectrum of the disease. Especially in the presence of Addison's disease, life-threatening situations can develop rapidly. Coloration of palmar skin creases of patients with known type I diabetes mellitus should serve as a warning sign to be followed up with investigation of endocrine functions.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = endocrine (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/31. Assessment of adrenocortical function and autoantibodies in a baby born to a mother with autoimmune polyglandular syndrome Type 2.We describe the case of a baby born to a mother with Addison's disease in the context of Autoimmune Polyendocrine syndrome Type 2. adrenal cortex autoantibodies and steroid 21-hydroxylase autoantibodies were detectable in the sera of both mother and baby, suggesting the transplacental passage of these autoantibodies. Adrenal autoantibodies were present in the baby's serum at delivery, at 3, 6 and till 34 months of age but no signs of clinical or subclinical adrenal insufficiency were found in the baby during the observation period. These data suggest that the presence of adrenal autoantibodies in serum alone is not a sufficient cause for the development of autoimmune adrenalitis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = endocrine (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/31. Addison's disease presenting in four adolescents with type 1 diabetes.Primary adrenocortical insufficiency (Addison's disease) is a potentially fatal condition that often develops insidiously and can be easily overlooked. Although rare in the general population, it is more common in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The combination of Addison's disease with T1DM and/or autoimmune thyroid disease is known as autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type-2 (APS-2). T1DM commonly precedes the development of adrenocortical insufficiency in most patients with APS-2. We, in this study, present four cases of Addison's disease developing in adolescents with pre-existing T1DM. risk factors for Addison's disease in this population include a history of other organ-specific autoimmunity, particularly thyroid, and a positive family history. In addition to the 'classic' Addisonian features, the development of unexplained recurrent hypoglycemia, reduction in total insulin requirement, improvement in glycemic control, or abnormal pigmentation should arouse suspicion of adrenocortical insufficiency. Adrenal antibodies have been proposed as a screening tool for Addison's disease in the T1DM population, but doubts remain about their specificity and sensitivity. The addition of specific HLA DRB1 subtyping has been proposed to improve predictive value.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = endocrine (Clic here for more details about this article) |
| | Next -> |