title: Catecholamine dependency in a polytrauma patient: relative adrenal insufficiency?
abstract: A 65-year-old polytrauma patient was admitted post-operatively to the intensive care unit. His situation deteriorated with hemodynamic instability and continuous high fever. An infectious focus could not be found and repeated cultures remained negative. Empirical administration of antibiotics and changing of lines did not have any effect on the clinical picture. It was impossible to lower the dose of catecholamines because of repeated occurrence of hypotension, despite optimal hydration state and filling pressures. On the 15th day of admission intravenous hydrocortisone was started on suspicion of relative adrenal insufficiency. This action resulted in rapid hemodynamic recovery, disappearance of fever and enabled rapid tapering of the dose of noradrenaline. Incidence of relative adrenal insufficiency and diagnostic strategies are discussed in the population of critically intensive care patients.
authors.affiliation: Intensive and State University Hospital, Respiratory Care Unit, P. O. Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands. j.j.m.ligtenberg@interne.azg.nl
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nieboer
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: van der Werf
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Beentjes
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Tulleken
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Zijlstra
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Ligtenberg
mesh_terms: D000309:Adrenal Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D000368:Aged; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007022:Hypotension / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000150:complications*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone; D009638:Norepinephrine