[Endocrine involvement in HIV infections]

HIV associated endocrine abnormalities are usually only seen in patients with AIDS. They are probably not caused by the infection itself, but rather by secondary involvement of endocrine organs through opportunistic infections or metabolic disturbances. Thus, patients with the disease should be checked regularly for electrolyte imbalance, and special attention should be paid to the detection of early signs of thyroid or adrenal insufficiency, which might be mistaken for general symptoms of wasting disease and thus remain untreated. Several pharmacological agents used in HIV/AIDS may also cause endocrine deficiencies, which can be prevented by early initiation of specific replacement regimens.