Delay in Diagnosis of Adrenal Insufficiency Is a Frequent Cause of Adrenal Crisis

Delay of diagnosis of primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) leads to adrenal crisis which is potentially lethal complication. The objective of our work was an assessment whether the establishment of diagnosis of adrenocortical insufficiency in Poland is so much delayed as assessed in the past. We hav...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lucyna Papierska, Michał Rabijewski
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2013-01-01
Series:International Journal of Endocrinology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/482370
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850235435968626688
author Lucyna Papierska
Michał Rabijewski
author_facet Lucyna Papierska
Michał Rabijewski
author_sort Lucyna Papierska
collection DOAJ
description Delay of diagnosis of primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) leads to adrenal crisis which is potentially lethal complication. The objective of our work was an assessment whether the establishment of diagnosis of adrenocortical insufficiency in Poland is so much delayed as assessed in the past. We have analysed data from 60 patients with diagnosis of PAI established in our department during the past 12 years and who are still under our care. We found that the time to diagnosis of primary adrenal insufficiency in Poland exceeds 3 months in every patient and 6 months in patients admitted with symptoms of adrenal crisis. Forty-four percent of patients were diagnosed only just after the hospitalisation due to crisis, despite the evident signs and symptoms of PAI. Lack of appetite and loss of body weight occurred in all patients and for that reason a diagnosis of chronic gastric and duodenal ulcer disease was the most often incorrect diagnosis. After the proper diagnosis and treatment, in the course of 1–11 years of observation, there was only 6 imminent adrenal crises in 5 patients. Our results indicated that training of primary care physicians in the field of recognising and treatment of adrenal insufficiency is still essential.
format Article
id doaj-art-18f17c91dd6147248729cb3d40c4bd71
institution OA Journals
issn 1687-8337
1687-8345
language English
publishDate 2013-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series International Journal of Endocrinology
spelling doaj-art-18f17c91dd6147248729cb3d40c4bd712025-08-20T02:02:15ZengWileyInternational Journal of Endocrinology1687-83371687-83452013-01-01201310.1155/2013/482370482370Delay in Diagnosis of Adrenal Insufficiency Is a Frequent Cause of Adrenal CrisisLucyna Papierska0Michał Rabijewski1Clinic of Endocrinology, The Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, PolandClinic of Endocrinology, The Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Warsaw, PolandDelay of diagnosis of primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) leads to adrenal crisis which is potentially lethal complication. The objective of our work was an assessment whether the establishment of diagnosis of adrenocortical insufficiency in Poland is so much delayed as assessed in the past. We have analysed data from 60 patients with diagnosis of PAI established in our department during the past 12 years and who are still under our care. We found that the time to diagnosis of primary adrenal insufficiency in Poland exceeds 3 months in every patient and 6 months in patients admitted with symptoms of adrenal crisis. Forty-four percent of patients were diagnosed only just after the hospitalisation due to crisis, despite the evident signs and symptoms of PAI. Lack of appetite and loss of body weight occurred in all patients and for that reason a diagnosis of chronic gastric and duodenal ulcer disease was the most often incorrect diagnosis. After the proper diagnosis and treatment, in the course of 1–11 years of observation, there was only 6 imminent adrenal crises in 5 patients. Our results indicated that training of primary care physicians in the field of recognising and treatment of adrenal insufficiency is still essential.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/482370
spellingShingle Lucyna Papierska
Michał Rabijewski
Delay in Diagnosis of Adrenal Insufficiency Is a Frequent Cause of Adrenal Crisis
International Journal of Endocrinology
title Delay in Diagnosis of Adrenal Insufficiency Is a Frequent Cause of Adrenal Crisis
title_full Delay in Diagnosis of Adrenal Insufficiency Is a Frequent Cause of Adrenal Crisis
title_fullStr Delay in Diagnosis of Adrenal Insufficiency Is a Frequent Cause of Adrenal Crisis
title_full_unstemmed Delay in Diagnosis of Adrenal Insufficiency Is a Frequent Cause of Adrenal Crisis
title_short Delay in Diagnosis of Adrenal Insufficiency Is a Frequent Cause of Adrenal Crisis
title_sort delay in diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency is a frequent cause of adrenal crisis
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/482370
work_keys_str_mv AT lucynapapierska delayindiagnosisofadrenalinsufficiencyisafrequentcauseofadrenalcrisis
AT michałrabijewski delayindiagnosisofadrenalinsufficiencyisafrequentcauseofadrenalcrisis