Fast Clinical, but Long-Term, Biochemical Remission after Waterhouse–Friderichsen Syndrome

Background. The Waterhouse–Friderichsen Syndrome (WFS) is a course of bacterial meningitis with a lethality rate that is still high today. One hallmark of the clinical course is intravascular coagulopathy. This causes hemorrhagic infarctions in the adrenal glands, rapidly causing a primary adrenal i...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Igor Alexander Harsch
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Endocrinology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/8885348
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849412070787776512
author Igor Alexander Harsch
author_facet Igor Alexander Harsch
author_sort Igor Alexander Harsch
collection DOAJ
description Background. The Waterhouse–Friderichsen Syndrome (WFS) is a course of bacterial meningitis with a lethality rate that is still high today. One hallmark of the clinical course is intravascular coagulopathy. This causes hemorrhagic infarctions in the adrenal glands, rapidly causing a primary adrenal insufficiency. Only few reports highlight the course of the remaining adrenal insufficiency or adrenal restitution in survivors. Case Presentation. After 3 weeks in an intensive care unit, a 45-year-old male survived WFS with necroses on the legs and forefeet and with primary adrenal insufficiency confirmed by the ACTH stimulation test. The substitution therapy with hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone could be gradually discontinued after nine months due to a further positive clinical course. Although the patient reported good mental and physical performance further on, the cortisol response in ACTH testing showed tiny incremental rises of the stimulated serum cortisol, but to reach a formally normal level, it took about five years. Discussion. The report demonstrates a case with a relatively fast clinical remission. A remission of the corticotrophic response occurred in small increments during an observational period of five years. The data suggest that not only a clinical remission is possible but also a complete biochemical remission, although this process may take a much longer timespan.
format Article
id doaj-art-5e5fcee17dfd4973896d95745857a78a
institution Kabale University
issn 2090-6501
2090-651X
language English
publishDate 2021-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Case Reports in Endocrinology
spelling doaj-art-5e5fcee17dfd4973896d95745857a78a2025-08-20T03:34:33ZengWileyCase Reports in Endocrinology2090-65012090-651X2021-01-01202110.1155/2021/88853488885348Fast Clinical, but Long-Term, Biochemical Remission after Waterhouse–Friderichsen SyndromeIgor Alexander Harsch0Department of Internal Medicine II, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Rainweg 68, Saalfeld 07318, GermanyBackground. The Waterhouse–Friderichsen Syndrome (WFS) is a course of bacterial meningitis with a lethality rate that is still high today. One hallmark of the clinical course is intravascular coagulopathy. This causes hemorrhagic infarctions in the adrenal glands, rapidly causing a primary adrenal insufficiency. Only few reports highlight the course of the remaining adrenal insufficiency or adrenal restitution in survivors. Case Presentation. After 3 weeks in an intensive care unit, a 45-year-old male survived WFS with necroses on the legs and forefeet and with primary adrenal insufficiency confirmed by the ACTH stimulation test. The substitution therapy with hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone could be gradually discontinued after nine months due to a further positive clinical course. Although the patient reported good mental and physical performance further on, the cortisol response in ACTH testing showed tiny incremental rises of the stimulated serum cortisol, but to reach a formally normal level, it took about five years. Discussion. The report demonstrates a case with a relatively fast clinical remission. A remission of the corticotrophic response occurred in small increments during an observational period of five years. The data suggest that not only a clinical remission is possible but also a complete biochemical remission, although this process may take a much longer timespan.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/8885348
spellingShingle Igor Alexander Harsch
Fast Clinical, but Long-Term, Biochemical Remission after Waterhouse–Friderichsen Syndrome
Case Reports in Endocrinology
title Fast Clinical, but Long-Term, Biochemical Remission after Waterhouse–Friderichsen Syndrome
title_full Fast Clinical, but Long-Term, Biochemical Remission after Waterhouse–Friderichsen Syndrome
title_fullStr Fast Clinical, but Long-Term, Biochemical Remission after Waterhouse–Friderichsen Syndrome
title_full_unstemmed Fast Clinical, but Long-Term, Biochemical Remission after Waterhouse–Friderichsen Syndrome
title_short Fast Clinical, but Long-Term, Biochemical Remission after Waterhouse–Friderichsen Syndrome
title_sort fast clinical but long term biochemical remission after waterhouse friderichsen syndrome
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/8885348
work_keys_str_mv AT igoralexanderharsch fastclinicalbutlongtermbiochemicalremissionafterwaterhousefriderichsensyndrome