Occult adrenal insufficiency in surgical patients

Eight patients admitted to a University hospital with acute surgical problems and related adrenal insufficiency were reviewed and three are presented in detail. Surgical stress and continued sepsis played major roles in the lack of responsiveness to usual modes of therapy until the adrenal insufficiency was corrected. The patients fell into three major clinical categories of adrenal insufficiency. Chronic illness and sepsis are shown to affect steroid production and metabolism, as well as adrenal responsiveness to ACTH. Pharmacologic amounts of steroids are often needed in patients with shock, gram negative sepsis and prolonged illnesses, even if normal or elevated serum cortisols are present. Therapeutic trials of cortisol administration are shown to be confusing when not accompanied by easily performed diagnostic tests of adrenal function. It is emphasized that a pretreatment serum cortisol should be obtained whenever possible. The evaluation of adrenal function is of lifelong importance to the patient.