• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.67 no.1
• /
• pp.47-51
• /
• 2009

Loss of appetite is an important factor in the quality of life for advanced cancer patients. Megestrol acetate is used to stimulate appetite, but it can cause suppression of the pituitary adrenal axis due to the affinity of the glucocorticoid receptor. Adrenal insufficiency is a life threatening disorder if left, untreated, but the initial clinical symptoms of the patients are vague. Awareness of the glucocorticoid-like activity of megestrol acetate and its side effects are important for the diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency. We present a case of secondary adrenal insufficiency associated with megestrol acetate in a patient with lung cancer.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.109-114
• /
• 2011

The abnormalities in Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA) axis are associated with many psychiatric symptoms including depression. We present a report of a 71 year old man who was admitted to the psychiatric department presenting symptoms of headache, avolition, loss of energy, psychomotor retardation, poor appetite, insomnia, anxiety resulting from adrenal insufficiency and hypopituitarism. Hypothyroidism and electrolyte disturbance were managed and headache, insomnia, anxiety, GI symptoms were improved. But he remained in anergic state. After discharge, he was readmitted to infection department with high fever and drowsy mentality. Adrenal insufficiency was recognized and he was treated with corticosteroid replacement therapy. Finally his diagnosis was made as panhypopituitarism and overall symptoms were resolved. In this case, we showed how the atypical symptoms resulting from hypopituitarism develop and progress. Hypothyroidism, adrenal insufficiency, and growth hormone deficiency resulting secondarily from panhypopituitarism were associated with various nonspecific symptoms such as loss of energy, fatigue, insomnia, weight loss, decreased appetite etc. In clinical situation, differential diagnosis with depression is needed when clinicians were met a patient with these nonspecific symptoms. It is important that laboratory tests and differential diagnosis with endocrine diseases should be conducted, especially in geriatric patients with nonspecific symptoms like anergia, fatigue, poor appetite and so on.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.195-199
• /
• 2014

The X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is a peroxisomal disease by defects of ABCD1 gene on chromosome Xq28 leading to accumulation of saturated very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA), progressive demyelination and adrenal insufficiency. A 4-year-old boy was visited hospital with the chief compliant of hyperpigmentation beginning at 2-years old. Serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol concentration were compatible with adrenal insufficiency. The elevated plasmatic concentration of VLCFA and genotype analysis with sequencing of ABCD1 gene established the diagnosis of X-ALD. Brain MRI showed no abnormal high signal intensity on the white matter. Steroid replacement was started with good response. He initiated Lorenzo's oil with restriction of VLCFA by reducing the intake of fatty foods. The author highlight the importance of suspecting of X-ALD in the etiology of primary adrenal insufficiency as the first sign of the disease.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.113-121
• /
• 2014

The major symptoms of terminally ill cancer patients are fatigue, loss of energy, feeling of helplessness, poor appetite and pain as well as general weakness, which are very similar to symptoms of adrenal insufficiency. Adrenal insufficiency-induced symptoms widely vary from mild symptoms to life-threatening conditions and may be resulted from variable medical causes. For terminally ill cancer patients who are hospitalized for palliative care, opioid agents are prescribed to control moderate to severe pain. The use of acute or chronic opioid agents is believed to negatively affect adrenal gland function. In most studies of opioid effects (preclinical/clinical with animal subjects or and patients suffering non-malignant pain, adrenal insufficiency and hormonal abnormalities were observed as side effects. However, opioid-induced adrenal insufficiency has been rarely reported in studies with patients with malignant cancer pain. Relationship between the type, treatment period, dosage of opioid agents and hormonal abnormalities can be examined by measuring the functional level of the adrenal glands. We hope to improve patient's quality of life by indicating hormone substitution to treat symptoms of adrenal insufficiency.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.33-43
• /
• 2005

Purpose: X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy(ALD) is a rare disorder that shows a great deal of phenotypic variability. We subdivided chidhood X-linked ALD patients into several phenotypes by the age at onset, the sites of most severe clinical involvement and the rate of progression of neurologic symptoms. Methods: Thirteen patients who had been diagnosed as X-linked ALD and followed up for at least one year were enrolled from 1996 to 2003. Results: 1. Ten had childhood cerebral ALD, who showed first neurologic symptoms at 7.02 years and progressed rapidly: interval between first symptoms and vegetative state was 1.35 years, and interval from initial symptoms to death was 3.35 years. Treatment with Lorenzo's oil did not prevent neurologic progression. Two patients who underwent umbilical cord blood transplantation died. 2. Two had adolescent cerebral ALD. They had first symptoms at 11.5 years, and showed tendency to progress less rapidly than childhood cerebral form patients. 3. One "Addison only" patient who had adrenal insufficiency without nervous system involvement remained asymptomatic during Lorenzo's oil treatment. 4. All cerebral form patients except one showed the lesions in both parieto-ocipital white matter in brain magnetic resonance imaging. Conclusion: The cerebral ALD was the most common form in childhood and was asoociated with a serious prognosis.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.279-289
• /
• 2000

현대에는 날로 복잡해지는 생활양식의 변화에 따라 다양한 스트레스에 노출되고 그로 인한 면역계, 신경계 또는 각종 장기의 기능이상이 점차로 증가되고 있다. 최근 치과에 내원하는 환자들 중 구강건조증을 호소하는 환자들의 다수는 스트레스에 노출되어 있고, 임상적으로도 방사선 타액선 기능 검사에서 타액선, 특히 악하선의 기능이 현저하게 저하되어 있는 소견을 관찰할 수 있 다. 더욱이 이는 타액선 조영술에서 이미 보고된 바 있는 면역성 질환인 $Sj\ddot{o}gren$ 증후군과는 다른 양상으로 관찰되고 있어, 이에 본인은 백서에 스트레스와 관련이 깊은 내분비적 환경 변화를 유도함으로써 이와같은 변화가 악하선 조직의 병리적 변화와 어떠한 연관성을 갖는 지를 관찰하고자 본 실험을 시행하였다. 생후 7주된 Sprague-Dawley계 웅성 백서(165-209g/bw) 40마리를 2 개의 실험군(부신 제거군 : ADX 군, 부신 제거 후 dexamethasone 투여군 : DEX 군)으로 나누어 실험하였다. ADX 군은 외과적으로 부신을 제거한 후 다른 조건을 부여하지 않았고, DEX 군은 외과적으로 부신을 제거한 후 매일 dexamethasone($1.5*10^{-46}mg/g$ I.V./day)을 투여하였으며, 이들을 각각 실험 후 즉시, 1일, 3일, 5일, 7일에 희생시켰다. 그 후에는 즉시 악하선을 적출하여 면역조직화학법으로 Clusterin의 발현 정도 및 부위를 관찰하였다. 그 결과는 다음과 같았다. 1. 광학현미경 하에서, 양 군 모두 유의할만한 조직학적 변화는 관찰되지 않았다. 2. ADX 군에서는 실험기간 전반에 걸쳐 도관세포와 선포세포에서 clusterin이 발현되었다. 3. DEX 군에서는 소수의 선세포에서 국소적으로 clusterin이 관찰되었으나, 전반적으로 도관세포, 선포세포에서 공히 clusterin이 관찰되지 않았다. 부신을 제거한 군에서는 실험기간 전반에 걸쳐 clusterin이 발현되었는데, 이는 clusterin이 스트레스의 생리적 반응의 결과로서 세포보호작용을 한다는 사실에 기초하여 볼 때, 부신을 제거하였을 때도 스트레스를 받았을 때와 같은 영향이 백서의 악하선에 가해졌을 것으로 생각된다. 반면, 부신제거후 glucocorticoid agonist인 dexamethasone을 투여하였을 때, clusterin이 감소 내지 관찰되지 않았던 것은 부신제거에 의해 악하선에 가해졌던 영향을 dexamethasone이 길항하여 나타난 결과로 볼 수 있어, 스트레스에 의해 부신으로부터 분비되는 glucocorticoid가 타액선을 보호하는데 중요한 작용을 하는 것을 시사한다.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.37 no.7
• /
• pp.601-605
• /
• 2004

Addisonian crisis, also commonly referred to as adrenal crisis, occurs when the cortisol produced by the adrenal gland is insufficient to meet the body's needs. Pituitary apoplexy usually occurs as hemorrhagic and ischemic necrosis in the presence of a pre-existing pituitary adenoma, and is a rare sequela of cardiovascular surgery. Most pituitary apoplexy that happens in cardiovascular surgery has been known to be related to harmful effects of the cardiopulmonary bypass. The case presented herein illustrates occult pituitary apoplexy that occurred after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. In this patient, . the initial signs of addisonian crisis was similar to those of septic shock, and were overlooked. However, once recognized, they were reduced dramatically with standard stress-dose cortisone.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.105-111
• /
• 2015

Purpose: Fatigue, energy loss, feeling of helplessness, poor appetite, pain besides general weakness are major symptoms presented to terminally ill cancer patients. These symptoms are similar to those that appeared with adrenal insufficiency. Also, for terminally ill cancer patients who are hospitalized for palliative care, opioid agents are prescribed to control moderate to severe pain. We studied the relationship of opioid agents and adrenal insufficiency. Methods: From November 2013 through June 2014, we monitored the serum level of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS, serum) in 55 cancer patients who were over 18 years old and were treated at a hospice center. We also checked the treatment period and dosage of opioid agents. Results: The DHEAS level, treatment period and dosage of opioid agents did not have significant correlation. Correlation between the serum cortisol level and the opioid agent treatment period was not significant either, but the serum cortisol level was positively correlated with the dosage of opioid agents (P value 0.0322). Conclusion: This study did not identify a novel link between treatment period, dosage of opioid agents and adrenal insufficiency. But, the DHEAS level was mostly below the normal level in patients who were treated with opioid agents.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.53 no.4
• /
• pp.603-606
• /
• 2010

Paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis, a remote effect of cancer without nervous system metastasis, is rare, especially in childhood. Here, we report a case of paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis associated with an ovarian mature teratoma in an adolescent girl. The 15-year-old girl developed neuropsychiatric symptoms, memory loss, seizures, and unconsciousness. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were normal, while single photon emission computed tomography imaging showed hypoperfusion in both temporal lobes. Ultrasound and MRI of the abdomen revealed a left ovarian cystic mass. The patient experienced a significant recovery of cognitive function after surgical resection of the tumor, which was pathologically identified as a mature ovarian teratoma, and treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.49-53
• /
• 2012

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is a rare inherited metabolic disease which results in impaired peroxisomal ${\beta}$-oxidation and the accumulation of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA) in the adrenal cortex, the myelin of the central nervous system, and the testes. X-linked ALD is caused by mutations in the ABCD1 gene encoding an ATP-binding cassette transporter superfamily located in the peroxisomal membrane. This disease is characterized by a variety of phenotypes. The classic childhood cerebral ALD is a rapidly progressive demyelinating condition affecting the cerebral white matter before the age of 10 years in boys. We report the case of a 8-year-old with childhood cerebral X-linked ALD who developed inattention, hyperactivity, motor incoordination and hemiparesis. We diagnosed ALD with elevated plasma very long chain fatty acid level and diffuse high signal intensity lesions in both parieto-occipital white matter and cerebellar white matter in brain MRI. We identified a novel c.983delT (p.Met329CysfsX7) mutation of the ABCD1 gene. There is no correlation between X-ALD phenotype and mutations in the ABCD1 gene. Further studies for searching additional non-genetic factor which determine the phenotypic variation will be needed.