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The effects of three specific conditions related to critical care on adrenal function in children

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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the effects of three specific conditions related to critical care on adrenal function with special regard to the levels of serum cortisol, corticotropin (ACTH), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and cytokines.

Methods

The study enrolled a total of 74 children who were divided into three groups. Group 1 comprised 23 patients who had acute critical illness (ACI) associated with severe sepsis/septic shock. Group 2 comprised 27 patients who had ACI without sepsis. Group 3 comprised 24 patients who underwent major surgery. Blood samples were obtained for baseline measurements and a low-dose ACTH stimulation test (LD-ST) was performed. Serial ACTH and cortisol levels were measured with an interval of 3 days and LD-ST was repeated on day 14 for all groups.

Results

Baseline cortisol, ACTH, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels were significantly higher in patients with adrenal insufficiency (AI) than those of without AI. AI was detected in four patients in group 1, seven in group 2, and ten in group 3. Consecutive cortisol and ACTH levels did not differ significantly among the groups. On day 14, the recovery rate in patients with AI was 82 % in the whole group. Patient’s age and interleukin-10 level were found to be independent predictors of AI.

Conclusions

A considerable proportion of patients in these three groups had AI with a high spontaneous recovery rate in 2 weeks. The presence of sepsis was not associated with an increased risk of AI. Our serial cortisol and ACTH values in these different groups could be used as reference values for further studies.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Karadeniz Technical University Scientific Research Project Unit (no. 2008.114.003.7).

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, 61080, Turkey

    Gülay Karagüzel, Süleyman Atay & Ayşenur Ökten

  2. Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey

    Orhan Değer

  3. Department of Pediatric Surgery, School of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey

    Mustafa İmamoğlu

  4. Department of Pediatric Surgery, School of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey

    Güngör Karagüzel

Authors
  1. Gülay Karagüzel
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  2. Süleyman Atay
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  4. Mustafa İmamoğlu
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  5. Ayşenur Ökten
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  6. Güngör Karagüzel
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Correspondence to Gülay Karagüzel.

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Karagüzel, G., Atay, S., Değer, O. et al. The effects of three specific conditions related to critical care on adrenal function in children. Intensive Care Med 38, 1689–1696 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-012-2662-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-012-2662-5

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