Sudden death due to auto-immune Addison's disease in a 12-year-old girl.
A 12-year-old female suffering from adrenocortical insufficiency showed symptoms similar to a gastro-enteritis, and severe electrolytic and acid/base disturbances which progressed into cerebral oedema and death. Autopsy findings included depletion of the adrenal cortex, with enlargement and eosinophilia of surviving cells. In ante-mortem blood, anti-adrenal auto-antibodies were found and elevated levels of ACTH and cortisol with a low level of aldosterone.
al Sabri
A M
AM
Forensic Medicine Unit, University of Edinburgh Medical School, Scotland.
Smith
N
N
Busuttil
A
A
D000224:Addison Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D017668:Age of Onset; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D003645:Death, Sudden / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans