Hypoadrenalism in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in Tanzania: an undiagnosed complication?

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
F MugusiD G McLarty

Abstract

Addison's disease is rarely diagnosed in most African countries although tuberculosis, one of its major causes, is a widespread problem. In this study adrenal function was assessed using the Synacthen test in 50 patients with chronic pulmonary tuberculosis admitted to hospital in Dar es Salaam. Sixteen patients (32%) had an impaired response. Two had subnormal basal cortisol levels, one of whom had a normal response to Synacthen. There was no significant difference between the patients with an impaired cortisol response and those with a normal response with respect to frequency of non-specific symptoms, weight loss and body mass index. The mean supine and erect diastolic blood pressures were, however, significantly lower in those with an impaired cortisol response compared to the normal cortisol response group (64 mm Hg vs 74 mm Hg supine (P less than 0.01), and 62 mm Hg vs 73 mm Hg erect (P less than 0.005]. Basal and one-hour plasma cortisol levels correlated significantly with systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and correlated negatively with duration of tuberculosis and diastolic blood pressure. These findings are consistent with reported observations in Zulu patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, and suggest that impaire...Continue Reading

References

May 16, 1978·Clinica Chimica Acta; International Journal of Clinical Chemistry·J Seth, L M Brown
Jan 1, 1986·British Journal of Diseases of the Chest·M E Ellis, F Tayoub
Jul 1, 1985·Postgraduate Medical Journal·S Ward, C C Evans
Sep 7, 1974·Lancet·O M EdwardsA D Tait
Oct 5, 1968·Lancet·A S MasonJ N Morris
Mar 19, 1983·British Medical Journal·W A McAllisterH J Rogers
Jan 1, 1984·Intensive Care Medicine·C J Hinds

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Sep 14, 2000·QJM : Monthly Journal of the Association of Physicians·F J KaplanS G Soule
Nov 9, 1991·BMJ : British Medical Journal·R J Fallon, D Reid
Nov 9, 1991·BMJ : British Medical Journal·B J Heap
Mar 1, 1994·Clinical Endocrinology·F A PostN S Levitt
May 7, 2019·PloS One·Danielle B CohenS Bertel Squire

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Addison Disease

Addison's disease, also known as primary adrenal insufficiency and hypocortisolism, is a long-term endocrine disorder in which the adrenal glands do not produce enough steroid hormones. Discover the latest research on Addison's disease here.