Primary adrenal insufficiency and systemic tuberculosis in a 10-year-old boy: case report

Primary adrenal insufficiency is the result of impaired steroid synthesis, adrenal destruction or abnormal development of the adrenal gland affecting the adrenal cortex. Tuberculosis is one of the main causes in developing countries. We present the case of a 10-year-old male patient diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency two years earlier with regular treatment, who was admitted for adrenal crisis. A thoraco-abdominal tomography was carried out during hospitalization, which showed cylindrical and traction bronchiectasis associated with cicatricial atelectasis in the right upper pulmonary lobe, enlarged adrenal glands with foci of calcification, as well as a dense posterior perivertebral mediastinal collection also involving vertebral bodies with lytic resorptive foci, findings consistent with systemic tuberculosis. Treatment for tuberculosis started based on this diagnosis. During course of the disease, the first phase was completed with four drugs, and the second phase included isoniazid and rifampicin with favorable clinical response.