Biomaterial Database

Evaluation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome. 2010

P Rotman-Pikielny, and M S Shapiro, and M Ellis, and C Betterle, and Y Levy

Department of Medicine E, Kfar Saba, Israel, Affiliated with the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. pnina.rotman@clalit.org.il

BACKGROUND Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis insufficiency is the most common endocrine disorder in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Primary adrenal failure because of venous thrombosis and/or adrenal haemorrhage is the leading diagnosis, while another possible mechanism is autoimmune adrenal failure. Prospective evaluation of the HPA axis in patients with APS has not been previously performed. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the HPA axis in patients with APS. METHODS Ambulatory patients (age 18 years and older) with APS were given a symptom questionnaire. Baseline aldosterone, corticotropin (ACTH) and adrenal cortex autoantibodies (ACA) were measured. Cortisol was measured at baseline and after 1-mcg ACTH stimulation. RESULTS In all, 24 patients (18 women/6 men; mean age 44.6 +/- 16.1 years) participated in the study. Of these, 21 had primary APS with disease duration of 5.8 +/- 6.2 years. Baseline cortisol level was 12.6 +/- 4.2 mg/dl (normal 7-25). After ACTH stimulation, it was 24.7 +/- 4.1 mg/dl and 22.8 +/- 7.4 mg/dl at 30 and 60 min respectively. All patients had a stimulated cortisol level of at least 18 mg/dl, although three patients had stimulated cortisol between 18 and 20 mg/dl, one of which reported previous inhaled steroid treatment. Weakness, dizziness and nausea were reported at baseline by 50%, 38% and 25% of the patients respectively. ACA were negative in all patients examined. CONCLUSIONS In our cohort, patients with APS did not have HPA axis insufficiency. Partial adrenal insufficiency could not be excluded in two patients. Further longitudinal studies are needed to determine the significance of periodic evaluation of the HPA axis in patients with APS.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007027	Hypothalamic Diseases	Neoplastic, inflammatory, infectious, and other diseases of the hypothalamus. Clinical manifestations include appetite disorders; AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES; SLEEP DISORDERS; behavioral symptoms related to dysfunction of the LIMBIC SYSTEM; and neuroendocrine disorders.	Froehlich's Syndrome,Hypothalamic-Neurohypophyseal Disorders,Pituitary Diencephalic Syndrome,Hypothalamic Dysfunction Syndromes,Hypothalamic Dysinhibition Syndrome,Hypothalamic Overactivity Syndrome,Hypothalamic Pseudopuberty,Hypothalamic-Adenohypophyseal Disorders,Diencephalic Syndrome, Pituitary,Diencephalic Syndromes, Pituitary,Disease, Hypothalamic,Diseases, Hypothalamic,Disorder, Hypothalamic-Adenohypophyseal,Disorder, Hypothalamic-Neurohypophyseal,Disorders, Hypothalamic-Adenohypophyseal,Disorders, Hypothalamic-Neurohypophyseal,Dysfunction Syndrome, Hypothalamic,Dysfunction Syndromes, Hypothalamic,Dysinhibition Syndrome, Hypothalamic,Dysinhibition Syndromes, Hypothalamic,Froehlich Syndrome,Froehlichs Syndrome,Hypothalamic Adenohypophyseal Disorders,Hypothalamic Disease,Hypothalamic Dysfunction Syndrome,Hypothalamic Dysinhibition Syndromes,Hypothalamic Neurohypophyseal Disorders,Hypothalamic Overactivity Syndromes,Hypothalamic Pseudopuberties,Hypothalamic-Adenohypophyseal Disorder,Hypothalamic-Neurohypophyseal Disorder,Overactivity Syndrome, Hypothalamic,Overactivity Syndromes, Hypothalamic,Pituitary Diencephalic Syndromes,Pseudopuberties, Hypothalamic,Pseudopuberty, Hypothalamic,Syndrome, Froehlich's,Syndrome, Hypothalamic Dysfunction,Syndrome, Hypothalamic Dysinhibition,Syndrome, Hypothalamic Overactivity,Syndromes, Hypothalamic Dysfunction,Syndromes, Hypothalamic Dysinhibition,Syndromes, Hypothalamic Overactivity,Syndromes, Pituitary Diencephalic
D007030	Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System	A collection of NEURONS, tracts of NERVE FIBERS, endocrine tissue, and blood vessels in the HYPOTHALAMUS and the PITUITARY GLAND. This hypothalamo-hypophyseal portal circulation provides the mechanism for hypothalamic neuroendocrine (HYPOTHALAMIC HORMONES) regulation of pituitary function and the release of various PITUITARY HORMONES into the systemic circulation to maintain HOMEOSTASIS.	Hypothalamic Hypophyseal System,Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis,Hypophyseal Portal System,Hypothalamic-Pituitary Unit,Hypothalamic Hypophyseal Systems,Hypothalamic Pituitary Unit,Hypothalamo Hypophyseal System,Hypothalamo Pituitary Adrenal Axis,Portal System, Hypophyseal
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D010913	Pituitary-Adrenal System	The interactions between the anterior pituitary and adrenal glands, in which corticotropin (ACTH) stimulates the adrenal cortex and adrenal cortical hormones suppress the production of corticotropin by the anterior pituitary.	Pituitary Adrenal System,Pituitary-Adrenal Systems,System, Pituitary-Adrenal,Systems, Pituitary-Adrenal
D001786	Blood Glucose	Glucose in blood.	Blood Sugar,Glucose, Blood,Sugar, Blood
D005260	Female		Females
D006728	Hormones	Chemical substances having a specific regulatory effect on the activity of a certain organ or organs. The term was originally applied to substances secreted by various ENDOCRINE GLANDS and transported in the bloodstream to the target organs. It is sometimes extended to include those substances that are not produced by the endocrine glands but that have similar effects.	Hormone,Hormone Receptor Agonists,Agonists, Hormone Receptor,Receptor Agonists, Hormone
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D006854	Hydrocortisone	The main glucocorticoid secreted by the ADRENAL CORTEX. Its synthetic counterpart is used, either as an injection or topically, in the treatment of inflammation, allergy, collagen diseases, asthma, adrenocortical deficiency, shock, and some neoplastic conditions.	Cortef,Cortisol,Pregn-4-ene-3,20-dione, 11,17,21-trihydroxy-, (11beta)-,11-Epicortisol,Cortifair,Cortril,Epicortisol,Hydrocortisone, (11 alpha)-Isomer,Hydrocortisone, (9 beta,10 alpha,11 alpha)-Isomer,11 Epicortisol