Active clinical trials for "Adrenal Insufficiency"

Many drugs are used to prevent nausea and vomiting and pain after surgery. In this study the investigators will be looking at a drug, dexamethasone, which is commonly used to prevent nausea and vomiting and pain after surgery but has other side effects. Dexamethasone is a man-made drug that is commonly used during surgery but also can affect naturally occuring hormones. In this study the investigators will be looking at dexamethasone's effect on a number of naturally occuring hormones over a twenty four hour period after thyroid surgery. The investigators hypothesize that plasma cortisol levels will be decreased following administration of dexamethasone.

The purpose of this study is to measure how often low blood sugars occur in people who live with both adrenal insufficiency (AI) and diabetes and need to take insulin. People who live with AI need to take steroid replacement tablets every day, for life. Two of the most common types of steroid replacement tablets are called prednisolone and hydrocortisone. Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is a very common side effect of taking insulin and can often be unpleasant, frightening and dangerous. People who have adrenal failure are also at risk of hypoglycaemia, although this is rare. It is not known whether taking steroids affects how often hypoglycaemia happens. The study has three aims: To measure how often low blood sugars occur at night in people who live with with both adrenal insufficiency (AI) and insulin-treated diabetes To compare how often low blood sugars occur in people taking prednisolone for their AI versus those taking hydrocortisone. To compare the patterns throughout the day for low blood sugars in those taking prednisolone versus those taking hydrocortisone. The study will compare this information with results in people who have AI without diabetes. Participants will be given continuous glucose monitoring systems (Dexcom G6 devices) which are small wearable devices that measure glucose levels throughout the day and night. They will be asked to wear a device for 30 days. Participants will not be asked to make any changes to their usual medications or their diet.

The primary purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of adrenal insufficiency in a population of patients with kidney transplants receiving low dose prednisone treatment. Development of glucocorticoid-induced adrenal insufficiency is a serious adverse effect to glucocorticoid treatment. The study includes a control group of patients with kidney failure currently treated in dialysis, who are not in glucocorticoid treatment. Individual genotyping is performed to determine the haplotype of glucocorticoid receptor polymorphisms: N363 S, BclI, ER23/23EK and 9β in all the patients with the purpose of investigating this as a risk factor for the development of adrenal insufficiency. The hypothesis is that subjects with one or another of the polymorphisms in the glucocorticoid receptor gene will either have increased or diminished glucocorticoid sensitivity. Using validated questionnaires assessing the quality of life and functional level of the patients enrolled in the study we aim to establish a link between functional level and biochemically proven adrenal insufficiency. Other secondary outcomes in the study includes bloodpressure, body composition, bone density, metabolic syndrome, inflammation and salivary cortisol profiles.

In mitotane treated patients, serum cortisol cannot be used to diagnose hypoadrenalism, since mitotane increases cortisol binding globulin levels (CBG), artificially raising total cortisol. Salivary free cortisol (SC) is not affected by CBG alterations, and reflects the free serum cortisol. In the current study, investigators will assess serum and SC responses during low-dose cosyntropin stimulation test in healthy volunteers, mitotane-induced hypoadrenal patients on steroid replacement therapy and in patients who suffer from hypoadrenlism caused from other etiology. Investigators will compare results between groups and try to demonstrate the superiority of SC in assessing adrenal function in mitotane treated patients.

Glucocorticoids are widely used for the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases. Although glucocorticoids are effective in controlling disease symptoms, continuous use of the drugs can lead to suppression of adrenal hormones or excessive cortisol level in the blood stream. That is, excess blood cortisol level due to glucocorticoid exogenous supply can either inhibit the 'hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis' for adrenal hormones production or result in Cushing symptoms. In the period between 1989 and 2008 in the UK, it was estimated that 0.6%-0.8% of the general adult population were long-term users of oral glucocorticoids. However, there is no data on the risk of adrenal suppression and Cushing syndrome due to chronic use of glucocorticoids in the UK to date. The aim of the study is to investigate the risk of adrenal insufficiency and Cushing syndrome due to long-term use of glucocorticoids in England.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (allo-HSCT) is often indicated in malignant hematologic diseases. Conditioning regimens, used to reduce the tumor burden and to prevent transplant rejection, are based on chemotherapy alone or combined with total body irradiation (TBI). Endocrine complications are frequent transplant-related side effects. Investigators have been well described in children studies but less in adulthood. The objective of this study is to assess retrospectively endocrine, bone and metabolic disorders in adult patients, 12 months after allo-HSCT.

Introduction: The prevalence and clinical significance of central adrenal insufficiency (CAI) in adult patients with Prader Willi Syndrome (PWS) remains unclear. Aim: To assess the prevalence of CAI in adults with PWS and to analyse the effects of replacement therapy with hydrocortisone (HCT) in patients with suspected CAI. Material and Methods: Twenty one adult patients with PWS were evaluated. Based on peak cortisol at the 30 minute of the high dose short Synacthen test (HDSST), patients were divided into three groups: CAI (central adrenal insufficiency) - peak cortisol <500nmol/L, intermediate (partial AI) - peak cortisol ≥500 nmol/L and <600 nmol/L and AS (adrenal sufficiency) - peak cortisol ≥ 600 nmol/L. In patients with diagnosed CAI HCT replacement treatment was initiated. Body weight, body fat percentage, signs, and symptoms of CAI were evaluated after 6 and 12 months of treatment.

Megestrol Acetate (MA) is a progesterone-like hormone that has been utilized as a birth control agent, chemotherapeutic drug, and more recently, to induce appetite and weight gain in patients malnourished as a result of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, cystic fibrosis, AIDS, or dementia. The mechanism of MA-stimulated appetite and weight gain is unknown. Although only approved to combat weight loss associated with AIDS and cancer, MA is frequently prescribed for long periods of time to prevent or reverse weight loss in nursing home residents and in elderly patients with serious illnesses in the community. Little data is available to support this practice. Among its many properties, MA acts as a partial glucocorticoid agonist, and long term and short term use of MA may results in adrenal suppression. The rapidity of the onset of MA-induced adrenal suppression and the time course of resumption of normal adrenal function after discontinuation of MA is completely unknown. As a consequence, it is unclear whether MA can be given safely for short periods of time or whether glucocorticoid administration is necessary after abruptly stopping MA treatment. The increased use of MA in the frail elderly, where even partial adrenal insufficiency may pose a substantial risk of adrenal crisis after an illness, requires a clear understanding of these issues. To address these concerns, we will evaluate adrenal function before, during, and after MA administration in healthy volunteers between the ages of 60 and 85 years.

Little is known regarding the incidence and clinical impact of AI in neonates during the acute postoperative period following separation from CPB. In a randomized control pilot study performed by the UAB CVICU research team, prophylactic post-CPB hydrocortisone infusions improved some postoperative outcomes, especially in those that acquired AI7. In an attempt to further explore post-CPB AI, a retrospective analysis of data from this study was performed. Of the 40 neonates included in the study, one-third (32.5%) developed AI following CPB (as determined by low-dose, 1 µg, cosyntropin stimulation test). Almost all of these subjects had normal response to cosyntropin stimulation pre-CPB. Subjects that developed AI demonstrated more hemodynamic instability, increased serum lactate and required more colloid resuscitation in the immediate post-CPB period in the operating room. Recent evidence has begun to highlight potential morbidity associated with perioperative steroid administration. Our cardiac surgery program is changing clinical practice and ceasing to give preoperative steroids to all patients (previously only neonatal CPB patients received preoperative methylprednisolone). With the possibility that preoperative steroid administration, and not CPB, primarily causes the high incidence of AI, it is prudent to further investigate the benefit and/or harm of perioperative steroid administration

The investigators hypothesize that withholding hydrocortisone during the peri-operation in patients with pituitary adenomas whose hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis are intact are safe.