Primary hypoadrenocorticism in a dog / Hipoadrenocorticismo primário em um cão / Hipoadrenocorticismo primario en un perro

This report describes the clinical and laboratorial findings as well as the therapeutic protocol performed in a three-year-old mongrel female intact dog, referred to the Veterinary Hospital of FAMEZ/UFMS. The animal had a previous history of recurrent gastrointestinal signs (such as lethargy, vomiting, loss of appetite, melena and abdominal pain), acute crisis episodes, bradycardia, hypotension, hypothermia and increase of capillary refill time, recognized as addisonian crisis due to primary hypoadrenocorticism. Laboratorial findings included anemia, eosinophilia, neutrophilia, lymphocytosis, sodium-potassium ratio of 14,02 mEq/L and prerenal azotemia. Based on that, it was confirmed the diagnosis of primary hypoadrenocorcitism. Thus, it was recommended supplementation therapy with mineralocorticoid (aldosterone) and glucocorticoid (cortisol) corresponding respectively, fludrocortisone acetate of 0.2 mg per kg of BW, by mouth, once daily and prednisone 0.2 mg per kg of BW, by mouth, twice daily until further recommendations. The prognostic was excellent, since the animal significantly improved body condition, andclinical signs disappeared after therapy which lead the sodium-potassium ratio to 35.11 mEq/L. Thus, the clinician must always suspect of primary hypoadrenocorticism in dogs with intermittent nonspecific signs that get better with support therapy. Presumably, hypoarenocorticism must be under diagnosed in veterinary medicine, reinforcing the need to require specific exams in patients that show this wax and wane feature of clinical signs.

O presente relato descreve os achados clínicos, laboratoriais e conduta terapêutica de um animal da espécie canina, fêmea, com três anos de idade, inteiro, sem raça definida, diagnosticado com hipoadrenocorticismo primário atendido no Hospital Veterinário da FAMEZ/UFMS. O animal apresentou histórico de recidivas de sinais gastrintestinais (letargia, vômitos, perda de apetite, melena e dor abdominal), crise adrenal aguda, bradicardia, hipotensão, hipotermia e aumento do tempo de preenchimento capilar. As alterações laboratoriais compreenderam linfocitose, anemia, eosinofilia, neutrofilia, densidade urinária < 1.030, relação sódio: potássio 14,02 mEq/L e azotemia pré-renal. Baseado nos achados clínicos-laboratoriais confirmou-se o hipoadrenocorticismo primário. Em seguida, foi instituído terapia de suplementação de mineralocorticoide (aldosterona) e glicocorticoide (cortisol), correspondendo respectivamente ao acetato de fludrocortisona na dose de 0,2 mg/kg por via oral uma vez ao dia e prednisona 0,2 mg/kg por via oral duas vezes por dia até novas recomendações. O prognóstico foi excelente para este caso, já que houve melhora significativa do animal, com o desaparecimento dos sinais clínicos e com nova relação sódio: potássio de 35,11 mEq/L. Assim, deve-se sempre suspeitar de hipoadrenocorticismo primário canino em pacientes com o curso de aparecimento e desaparecimento com sinais inespecíficos que melhorem com terapia de suporte. Presume-se que o hipoadrenocorticismo primário em cães seja subdiagnosticado na medicina veterinária, por isso a importância dos clínicos em suspeitar e solicitar exames específicos em pacientes que apresentam esse curso da doença.

El informe describe los hallazgos clínicos, de laboratorio y manejo terapéutico de un perro, hembra, con tres años de edad, entera, mestizo, con diagnóstico de hipoadrenocorticismo primario atendido en el Hospital Veterinario de la FAMEZ/UFMS. El animal tuvo un historial de signos gastrointestinales recurrentes (letargia, vómitos, pérdida de apetito, melena y dolor abdominal), crisis renal aguda, bradicardia, hipotensión, hipotermia y un aumento del tiempo de llenado capilar. Las alteraciones de laboratorio presentaron linfocitosis, anemia, eosinofilia, neutrofilia, densidad de la orina < 1,030, relación sodio: potasio 14,02 mEq/L y azotemia prerrenal. Con base en los hallazgos clínicos y de laboratorio, se confirmó el hipoadrenocorticismo primario. A continuación, se introdujo terapia con administración de mineralocorticoide (aldosterona) y glucocorticoide (cortisol), que correspondieron respectivamente al acetato de fludrocortisona a una dosis de 0,2mg/kg por vía oral una vez al día y prednisona 0,2 mg/kg por vía oral dos veces al día hasta nuevas recomendaciones. El pronóstico fue excelente para este caso, ya que hubo mejora significativa del animal, desapareciendo los signos clínicos y con una nueva relación sodio: potasio de 35,11 mEq/L. Por lo tanto, siempre se debe sospechar del hipoadrenocorticismo primario canino en pacientes con el curso de aparecimiento y desaparecimiento con signos inespecíficos que mejoran con terapia de soporte. Es posible que el hipoadrenocorticismo primario en perros sea diagnosticado en la medicina veterinaria, así la importancia de los clínicos en sospechar y solicitar exámenes específicos en pacientes que presentan ese curso de la enfermedad.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: an endocrine disease off limits for endocrinologists?

Endocrinologists were not included in the multidisciplinary working groups that prepared two recent reports on chronic fatigue syndrome, despite its unequalled clinical overlap with Addison's disease, which is a classic endocrine disorder. The failure to include at least one endocrinologist in those panels may explain why in their extensive reports there is not a single word about the 42 clinical features that chronic fatigue syndrome shares with Addison's disease, including all the signs and symptoms listed in the case definition of this syndrome.

The autoimmune basis of adrenocortical destruction in Addison's disease.

Addison's disease is mainly caused by autoimmune destruction of the steroid-producing cells in the adrenal glands. Key enzymes in steroid biosynthesis have been implicated as the major targets of autoantibodies in this disease. The study of B-cell-dependent autoimmune responses reveals two distinguishable forms of Addison's disease. This should permit very accurate diagnosis of the disease and increase future prospects of disease prevention.

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy in patients with idiopathic Addison disease.

UNLABELLED: The two main causes of primary adrenal disease are tuberculosis and auto-immune adrenal destruction. The latter is responsible for about 70% of the cases of primary adrenal insufficiency (Addison disease). Commonly referred to as a rare cause of adrenal failure is X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a demyelinating peroxisomal disorder affecting 1: 20,000 Caucasian males. Albeit primary adrenal insufficiency is a rare entity per se, we decided to study patients with idiopathic Addison disease and establish the frequency of ALD as a cause of adrenal insufficiency. The biochemical defect of ALD was found in 5 out of 24 patients. The small number of cases in our series led us to include in our analysis the published results of two other groups of investigators. This analysis indicates that the proportion of cases in which Addison disease is attributable to ALD is age dependent. It is highest when the adrenal insufficiency manifests before 15 years. This study clearly demonstrates that the proportion of ALD in patients presenting primary adrenal insufficiency has been under-estimated. CONCLUSION: Addison disease manifesting during the first decade of life has a high likelihood of being the first sign of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy.

Two types of autoimmune Addison's disease associated with different polyglandular autoimmune (PGA) syndromes.

A review of 295 patients with autoimmune Addison's disease which occurred as part of a polyglandular autoimmune syndrome is presented. Information of 41 cases was obtained from our clinics and from the examination of medical records, while 254 cases were culled from the literature. We report that autoimmune Addison's disease in association with other autoimmune diseases occurs in at least two distinct types. Addison's disease occurring in Type I polyglandular autoimmune disease (PGA) is associated with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis and/or acquired hypoparathyroidism. The age of onset is predominately in childhood or in the early adult years. Type I PGA syndrome is also frequently associated with chronic active hepatitis, malabsorption, juvenile onset pernicious anemia, alopecia and primary hypogonadism. Insulin requiring diabetes and/or autoimmune thyroid disease are infrequent. In contrast, Addison's disease in Type II PGA is associated with insulin requiring diabetes and/or autoimmune thyroid disease(s). Although the age of onset of Addison's disease in Type II PGA syndrome is not confined to any age group or any specific sex, it occurs predominately in the middle years of life in females. The associated autoimmune diseases found in Type I disease, such as chronic active hepatitis, etc. (see table II) are rare in Type II PGA disease except for a low frequency of gonadal failure. We provide evidence to support the concept that the Addison's diseases in Type I and II PGA syndromes have different genetic bases, as related to HLA haplotypes, and possibly have different underlying pathogeneses.