title: Genitourinary tuberculosis complicated with adrenal involvement and primary adrenocortical insufficiency: a case report.
abstract: Genitourinary tuberculosis (TB) rarely involves the adrenal gland. A 67-year-old man presented with progressively hyperpigmented skin and an enlarged mass over both testes. Early morning plasma cortisol concentration was low and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) concentration was high. A rapid ACTH stimulation test revealed the absence of plasma cortisol response and confirmed a diagnosis of primary adrenocortical insufficiency. An abdomen computed tomography (CT) scan disclosed enlargement of the right adrenal gland and punctuate calcification over the left one. This is compatible with tuberculous adrenalitis. Currettage biopsy of the prostate demonstrated chronic granulomatous inflammation with Langerhan's giant cells, but without TB bacilli. Anti-TB treatment, in addition to glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid replacement, was administered. The testicular mass decreased progressively though the results of a subsequent ACTH stimulation test, six months later, disclosed no significant change. A follow-up CT scan, one and a half years later, showed a decrease in the size of the right adrenal mass.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Jap
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Won
mesh_terms: D000224:Addison Disease / Q000209:etiology; D000303:Adrenal Cortex Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014401:Tuberculosis, Urogenital / Q000150:complications*