ESPE Abstracts (2018) 89 P-P2-034

ESPE2018 Poster Presentations Adrenals and HPA Axis P2 (35 abstracts)

Etiology of Primary Adrenal Insufficiency in Children: a 29-year Single Center Experience

Huamei Ma , Jun Zhang , Song Guo , Yanhong Li , Hongshan Chen , Qiu Chen , Minlian Du & Shaofu Li


The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China


Objective: To investigate the etiology and clinical features of Chinese children with PAI.

Method: 427 children (age 0–18 years) with PAI followed at our institution between September 1989 and March 2016 were studied.

Results: 1. 228 males and 199 female (1.14:1) were included. Median age at diagnosis was 1.66 (10th–90th, 0.06~8.73 yrs.

2. An identified diagnosis(clinical or genetic) was obtained in 93.4% children (399 of 427). In the other unidentified 28 cases (6.6%), CAH had been excluded.

1) Of which 399 identified cases,

(1) 351 cases (82.2%) were CAH, which 21OHD were the most common etiology (341, 97.2%). The other CAH form were 17OHD (5, 1.4%), 11OHD (3, 0.9%), CLAH (2, 0.6%).

(2) 48 cases (11.2%) were non-CAH. The etiology were Adrenoleuokodystrophy (ALD) (22, 45.8%), DAX1 mutation (19, 39.6%), Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndrome (APS) (3, 6.8%), Triple A Syndrome (AS) (2, 4.2%), SF1 mutation (1, 2.1%), Adrenalectomy (1, 2.1%).

2) Comparison based on sexual phenotype of 58 cases non-21OHD

(1) Male were predominantly in this study (49/58, 84.5%) with ALD being the most common (49%, 22/49). The other were DAX1 mutation (38.8%,19/49), APS (6.1%, 3/49). 11OHD, CLAH, AS and adrenalectomy only accounted for 2.0% (1/49).

(2) Female patients were fewer than male’s (9/58, 15.5%) with 17OHD being the most common, accounting for 44.4% (4/9). The other etiology like 11OHD, LCAH, SF1, AS were rarer, which accounted for 22.2% (2/9), 11.1% (1/9), 11.1% (1/9), 11.1% (1/9) of cases respectively.

3) Clinical features: genital ambiguity was common, accounted for 42.4% (181/427) of cases. The other features include digestive symptoms 35.4%, growth failure 26.7%, gonadal associated symptom 21.1%, hyperpigmentation 9.8%, demyelination of central nervous system 3.3%, prolonged jaundice 2.3%, fatigue 2.3%, convulsion 2.3%. 62.3% patients presented 2 or more onset of symptoms, 4.2% patients with adrenal crisis onset. Physically examination showed that only 57.6% patients were exhibiting hyperpigmentation. In non-21OHD group, hyperpigmentation were common (82.6%)(significantly higher than CAH 21OHD, P<0.05). Genital ambiguity only accounted for 8.1%. The other features are digestive symptoms 12.8%, fatigue 12.8%, growth failure 9.3%, gonadal associated symptom 8.1, prolonged jaundice 4.7%, convulsion 3.5% in turn. 14% patients were having adrenal crisis onset (significantly higher than CAH 21OHD, P<0.05).

Conclusion: PAI in pediatric population is commonly in congenital forms, with CAH being the most frequent. Children with PAI have wide range symptoms, lack specificity. Identification its underlying cause is recommended.

Volume 89

57th Annual ESPE (ESPE 2018)

Athens, Greece
27 Sep 2018 - 29 Sep 2018

European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology 

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