Unfavourable trends in cardiovascular and metabolic risk in paediatric and adult patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia?
BACKGROUND
As a result of the introduction of treatment with glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, now 60 years ago, congenital adrenal hyperplasia has become a lifelong chronic disease. Whether long-term treatment of the disease leads to long-term side effects remains unknown. In this respect, especially cardiovascular risk seems to be important.


RESULTS
We reviewed the reported prevalence of conventional cardiovascular risk factors, i.e. obesity, insulin resistance, high blood pressure and dyslipidaemia in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Overall, the studies suggest a tendency towards an increased body mass index and fat mass, the presence of insulin resistance and hypertension, although data are relatively scarce and obtained in heterogeneous populations.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that adult CAH patients tend to have a cluster of metabolic risk factors, which are consistent with the metabolic syndrome. This notion may have consequences for the care for this group of patients.
Mooij
Christiaan F
CF
Department of Paediatric Endocrinology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, The Netherlands. c.mooij@cukz.umcn.nl
Kroese
Jeanne Margot
JM
Claahsen-van der Grinten
Hedi L
HL
Tack
Cees J
CJ
Hermus
Ad R M M
AR
D000312:Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D018450:Disease Progression; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors
D005938:Glucocorticoids