Clinical Case of Primary Adrenal Insufficiency: Diagnostic Difficulties, Therapeutic Tactics

Tuberculous adrenal insufficiency is a rare cause of primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI), characterized by insufficient production of glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, and androgens. Nonspecific symptoms of PAI complicate timely diagnosis and treatment, which often leads to a life-threatening con...

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Main Authors: P. S. Samozhenova, E. E. Gubernatorova, T. V. Adasheva, E. I. Goruleva, E. G. Lobanova
Format: Article
Language:Russian
Published: SINAPS LLC 2025-03-01
Series:Архивъ внутренней медицины
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Online Access:https://www.medarhive.ru/jour/article/view/1963
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author P. S. Samozhenova
E. E. Gubernatorova
T. V. Adasheva
E. I. Goruleva
E. G. Lobanova
author_facet P. S. Samozhenova
E. E. Gubernatorova
T. V. Adasheva
E. I. Goruleva
E. G. Lobanova
author_sort P. S. Samozhenova
collection DOAJ
description Tuberculous adrenal insufficiency is a rare cause of primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI), characterized by insufficient production of glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, and androgens. Nonspecific symptoms of PAI complicate timely diagnosis and treatment, which often leads to a life-threatening condition, Addisonian crisis. This article presents a clinical observation of a 67-year-old female patient. For 8 months, the patient noted a gradual increase in general weakness, and decreased appetite. When visiting a local clinic in June 2022, she was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. Condition on admission in the medical ward in October 2022 was manifested as severe general weakness, abdominal pain, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting. Given the above symptoms, Addisonian crisis was suspected. Before the results of diagnostic tests were obtained, the patient was given hydrocortisone 100 mg intravenously by jet stream 4 times per day. Based on the test results, the patient was diagnosed with primary adrenal insufficiency caused by a tuberculosis process. The patient was prescribed hormone replacement therapy, she was advised on the principles of independently adjusting the hormone therapy; a consultation with a TB specialist was also recommended to decide on initiating anti-tuberculosis therapy. The patient developed an Addisonian crisis due to a combination of factors: the treatment (the drug interaction), the impact of diagnostic procedures (bronchoscopy) and due to no correction of the prescribed hormone replacement therapy. After the acute condition was relieved, the patient was re-consulted by the endocrinologist who decided to increase the dosage of hormone replacement therapy and continue the treatment with antitubercular agents. This clinical case has demonstrated the specifics of diagnostics and selection of replacement therapy in the treatment of PNI. It has also shown that doctors of various specialties have to be better informed about the algorithm and tactics of managing patients with symptoms of Addisonian crisis.
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spelling doaj-art-21337e14e1094fa4ade516e5e563cb8b2025-08-20T03:37:56ZrusSINAPS LLCАрхивъ внутренней медицины2226-67042411-65642025-03-0115210.20514/2226-6704-2025-15-2-151-1601036Clinical Case of Primary Adrenal Insufficiency: Diagnostic Difficulties, Therapeutic TacticsP. S. Samozhenova0E. E. Gubernatorova1T. V. Adasheva2E. I. Goruleva3E. G. Lobanova4Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “Russian University of Medicine” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, department of Therapy and Preventive MedicineFederal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “Russian University of Medicine” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, department of Therapy and Preventive MedicineFederal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “Russian University of Medicine” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, department of Therapy and Preventive MedicineHospital of the Centrosoyuz of the Russian Federation; Reaviz Medical Institute, department of Internal MedicineFederal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “Russian University of Medicine” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, department of pharmacologyTuberculous adrenal insufficiency is a rare cause of primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI), characterized by insufficient production of glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, and androgens. Nonspecific symptoms of PAI complicate timely diagnosis and treatment, which often leads to a life-threatening condition, Addisonian crisis. This article presents a clinical observation of a 67-year-old female patient. For 8 months, the patient noted a gradual increase in general weakness, and decreased appetite. When visiting a local clinic in June 2022, she was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. Condition on admission in the medical ward in October 2022 was manifested as severe general weakness, abdominal pain, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting. Given the above symptoms, Addisonian crisis was suspected. Before the results of diagnostic tests were obtained, the patient was given hydrocortisone 100 mg intravenously by jet stream 4 times per day. Based on the test results, the patient was diagnosed with primary adrenal insufficiency caused by a tuberculosis process. The patient was prescribed hormone replacement therapy, she was advised on the principles of independently adjusting the hormone therapy; a consultation with a TB specialist was also recommended to decide on initiating anti-tuberculosis therapy. The patient developed an Addisonian crisis due to a combination of factors: the treatment (the drug interaction), the impact of diagnostic procedures (bronchoscopy) and due to no correction of the prescribed hormone replacement therapy. After the acute condition was relieved, the patient was re-consulted by the endocrinologist who decided to increase the dosage of hormone replacement therapy and continue the treatment with antitubercular agents. This clinical case has demonstrated the specifics of diagnostics and selection of replacement therapy in the treatment of PNI. It has also shown that doctors of various specialties have to be better informed about the algorithm and tactics of managing patients with symptoms of Addisonian crisis.https://www.medarhive.ru/jour/article/view/1963adrenal tuberculosisprimary adrenal insufficiencyaddison crisisaddison’s disease
spellingShingle P. S. Samozhenova
E. E. Gubernatorova
T. V. Adasheva
E. I. Goruleva
E. G. Lobanova
Clinical Case of Primary Adrenal Insufficiency: Diagnostic Difficulties, Therapeutic Tactics
Архивъ внутренней медицины
adrenal tuberculosis
primary adrenal insufficiency
addison crisis
addison’s disease
title Clinical Case of Primary Adrenal Insufficiency: Diagnostic Difficulties, Therapeutic Tactics
title_full Clinical Case of Primary Adrenal Insufficiency: Diagnostic Difficulties, Therapeutic Tactics
title_fullStr Clinical Case of Primary Adrenal Insufficiency: Diagnostic Difficulties, Therapeutic Tactics
title_full_unstemmed Clinical Case of Primary Adrenal Insufficiency: Diagnostic Difficulties, Therapeutic Tactics
title_short Clinical Case of Primary Adrenal Insufficiency: Diagnostic Difficulties, Therapeutic Tactics
title_sort clinical case of primary adrenal insufficiency diagnostic difficulties therapeutic tactics
topic adrenal tuberculosis
primary adrenal insufficiency
addison crisis
addison’s disease
url https://www.medarhive.ru/jour/article/view/1963
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AT tvadasheva clinicalcaseofprimaryadrenalinsufficiencydiagnosticdifficultiestherapeutictactics
AT eigoruleva clinicalcaseofprimaryadrenalinsufficiencydiagnosticdifficultiestherapeutictactics
AT eglobanova clinicalcaseofprimaryadrenalinsufficiencydiagnosticdifficultiestherapeutictactics