[Septic shock with disseminated intravascular coagulation and adrenal failure (author's transl)]

The case is reported of a 15 year-old patient admitted in a state of severe shock with disseminated intravascular coagulation, complicated by unilateral adrenal failure as demonstrated scintigraphically by the absence of I131-labelled cholesterol uptake. Problems arising in the differential diagnosis and therapeutic management are discussed.