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Nowotny H, Ahmed SF, Bensing S, Beun JG, Brösamle M, Chifu I, Claahsen van der Grinten H, Clemente M, Falhammar H, Hahner S, Husebye E, Kristensen J, Loli P, Lajic S, Reisch N. Therapy options for adrenal insufficiency and recommendations for the management of adrenal crisis. Endocrine 2021; 71:586-594. [PMID: 33661460 PMCID: PMC7929907 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-021-02649-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Adrenal insufficiency (AI) is a life-threatening condition requiring life-long glucocorticoid (GC) substitution therapy, as well as stress adaptation to prevent adrenal crises. The number of individuals with primary and secondary adrenal insufficiency in Europe is estimated to be 20-50/100.000. A growing number of AI cases are due to side effects of GC treatment used in different treatment strategies for cancer and to immunotherapy in cancer treatment. The benefit of hormone replacement therapy is evident but long-term adverse effects may arise due to the non-physiological GC doses and treatment regimens used. Given multiple GC replacement formulations available comprising short-acting, intermediate, long-acting and novel modified-release hydrocortisone as well as subcutaneous formulations, this review offers a concise summary on the latest therapeutic improvements for treatment of AI and prevention of adrenal crises. As availability of various glucocorticoid formulations and access to expert centers across Europe varies widely, European Reference Networks on rare endocrine conditions aim at harmonizing treatment and ensure access to specialized patient care for individual case-by-case treatment decisions. To improve the availability across Europe to cost effective oral and parenteral formulations of hydrocortisone will save lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Nowotny
- Medizinische Klinik IV, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - S Faisal Ahmed
- Developmental Endocrinology Research Group, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
| | - Sophie Bensing
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet and Department of Endocrinology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johan G Beun
- European Patient Advocacy Group for Adrenal Diseases, European Reference Network on Rare Endocrine Conditions (Endo ERN), Endo ERN Coordinating Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
- AdrenalNET, Soest, The Netherlands
| | - Manuela Brösamle
- European Patient Advocacy Group for Adrenal Diseases, European Reference Network on Rare Endocrine Conditions (Endo ERN), Endo ERN Coordinating Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Irina Chifu
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Hedi Claahsen van der Grinten
- Amalia Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Maria Clemente
- Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Hospital Vall d´Hebron, Autonomous University of Barcelona, CIBERER, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Henrik Falhammar
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet and Department of Endocrinology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stefanie Hahner
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital of Wuerzburg, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Eystein Husebye
- Department of Clinical Science and K.G. Jebsen Center for Autoimmune Disorders, University of Bergen, and Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jette Kristensen
- European Patient Advocacy Group for Adrenal Diseases, European Reference Network on Rare Endocrine Conditions (Endo ERN), Endo ERN Coordinating Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Paola Loli
- Division of Endocrinology, San Raffaele Vita-Salute University, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Svetlana Lajic
- Department of Women´s and Children´s Health, Division of Pediatrics, Unit for Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolic Disorders, Karolinska Institutet/Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nicole Reisch
- Medizinische Klinik IV, Klinikum der Universität München, Munich, Germany.
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Claessen KMJA, Andela CD, Biermasz NR, Pereira AM. Clinical Unmet Needs in the Treatment of Adrenal Crisis: Importance of the Patient's Perspective. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:701365. [PMID: 34354671 PMCID: PMC8329717 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.701365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Adrenal crisis is the most severe manifestation of adrenal insufficiency (AI), but AI can present with variable signs and symptoms of gradual severity. Despite current hormone replacement strategies, adrenal crisis is still one of the leading causes of mortality in AI patients. Although underlying factors explaining differences in interindividual susceptibility are not completely understood, several subgroups are particularly vulnerable to adrenal crises, such as patients with primary AI, and patients treated for Cushing's syndrome. Currently, the health care professional faces several challenges in the care for AI patients, including the lack of reliable biomarkers measuring tissue cortisol concentrations, absence of a universally used definition for adrenal crisis, and lack of clinical tools to identify individual patients at increased risk. Also from the patient's perspective, there are a number of steps to be taken in order to increase and evaluate self-management skills and, finally, improve health-related quality of life (HR-QoL). In this respect, the fact that inadequate handling of AI patients during stressful situations is a direct consequence of not remembering how to act due to severe weakness and cognitive dysfunction in the context of the adrenal crisis is quite underexposed. In this narrative review, we give an overview of different clinical aspects of adrenal crisis, and discuss challenges and unmet needs in the management of AI and the adrenal crisis from both the doctor's and patient's perspective. For the latter, we use original focus group data. Integration of doctor's and patient's perspectives is key for successful improvement of HR-QoL in patients with AI.
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Abstract
Adrenal crisis is a life-threatening emergency contributing to the excess mortality of patients with adrenal insufficiency. Studies in patients on chronic replacement therapy for adrenal insufficiency have revealed an incidence of 5-10 adrenal crises/100 patient years and suggested a mortality rate from adrenal crisis of 0.5/100 patient years. Patients with adrenal crisis typically present with profoundly impaired well-being, hypotension, nausea and vomiting, and fever responding well to parenteral hydrocortisone administration. Infections are the major precipitating causes of adrenal crisis. Lack of increased cortisol concentrations during infection enhances pro-inflammatory cytokine release and sensitivity to the toxic effects of these cytokines (e.g. tumour necrosis factor alpha). Furthermore, pro-inflammatory cytokines may impair glucocorticoid receptor function aggravating glucocorticoid deficiency. Treatment of adrenal crisis is simple and highly effective consisting of i.v. hydrocortisone (initial bolus of 100 mg followed by 200 mg over 24 h as continuous infusion) and 0.9% saline (1000 ml within the first hour). Prevention of adrenal crisis requires appropriate hydrocortisone dose adjustments to stressful medical procedures (e.g. major surgery) and other stressful events (e.g. infection). Patient education is a key for such dose adjustments but current education concepts are not sufficiently effective. Thus, improved education strategies are needed. Every patient should carry an emergency card and should be provided with an emergency kit for parenteral hydrocortisone self-administration. A hydrocortisone pen would hold a great potential to lower the current barriers to hydrocortisone self-injection. Improved patient education and measures to facilitate parenteral hydrocortisone self-administration in impending crisis are expected to significantly reduce morbidity and mortality from adrenal crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno Allolio
- Endocrine UnitDepartment of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital WürzburgComprehensive Heart Failure CenterUniversity of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany Endocrine UnitDepartment of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital WürzburgComprehensive Heart Failure CenterUniversity of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
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