Indian Journal of Respiratory Care

IJRC Email      Register      Login

VOLUME 13 , ISSUE 4 ( October-December, 2024 ) > List of Articles

CASE REPORT

Tuberculous Addison's Disease: A Forgotten Cause—A Case Report

Keerthi N, Jyothi, Siddartha S Chikkeri

Keywords : Adrenal insufficiency, Case report, Tuberculosis, Tuberculosis adrenalitis

Citation Information : N K, Jyothi, Chikkeri SS. Tuberculous Addison's Disease: A Forgotten Cause—A Case Report. Indian J Respir Care 2024; 13 (4):259-264.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-11010-1152

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 17-02-2025

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2024; The Author(s).


Abstract

Addison's disease (AD) was first described in 1855 by Thomas Addison, a physician and medical researcher. Previously, tuberculosis (TB) was a frequent cause of AD. There has been a decrease in adrenal TB as a result of antimicrobial chemotherapy. Adrenal TB involves bilateral glands more frequently due to hematogenous spread. Due to the obscure symptoms, it is often onerous to diagnose acute adrenal insufficiency. Patients usually present with severely reduced blood pressure, shock, acute onset abdominal pain, fever, and even vomiting. Chronic insufficiency presents with complaints of fatigue, decreased muscle strength, and irritability. Computerized tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are useful in differentiating tubercular AD from other potential causes of adrenal insufficiency. Treatment involves antitubercular treatment (ATT) as well as maintenance steroids, as rifampicin, which is a part of ATT, is a potent cytochrome P450 enzyme inducer, lowering the adrenal reserve. A 37-year-old male presented to the hospital with complaints of cough and intermittent fever with evening rise in temperature for 6 months. He had tachycardia, hypotension, high-grade fever, along with unintentional weight loss and fatigue. Investigations reduced serum cortisol, sputum showed the presence of acid-fast bacilli. The patient was initiated on oral steroids and antitubercular therapy. The patient's overall symptoms improved and he was discharged with the same.


PDF Share
  1. Sarkar SB, Sarkar S, Ghosh S, et al. Addison's disease. Contemp Clin Dent 2012;3(4):484–486. DOI: 10.4103/0976-237X.107450
  2. Montes-Villarreal J, Perez-Arredondo LA, Rodriguez-Gutierrez R, et al. Serum morning cortisol as a screening test for adrenal insufficiency. Endocr Pract 2020;26(1):30–35. DOI: 10.4158/EP-2019-0327
  3. Gupta S, Ansari MAM, Gupta AK, et al. Current approach for diagnosis and treatment of adrenal tuberculosis—our experience and review of literature. Surg J (N Y) 2022;8(1):e92–e97. DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1743523
  4. van Haren Noman S, Visser H, Muller AF, et al. Addison's disease caused by tuberculosis: diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties. Eur J Case Rep Intern Med 2018;5(8):000911. DOI: 10.12890/2018_000911
  5. Sheikh Z, Jones J, Shah V, et al. Adrenal tuberculosis. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org
  6. Thijs E, Wierckx K, Vandecasteele S, et al. Adrenal insufficiency, be aware of drug interactions! Endocrinol Diabetes Metab Case Rep. 2019;2019:19–62. DOI: 10.1530/EDM-19-0062
  7. Constantine Stratakis. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH.
PDF Share
PDF Share

© Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) LTD.