title: Adrenal function status in patients with paracoccidioidomycosis after prolonged post-therapy follow-up.
abstract: This study assessed adrenal function in patients with paracoccididioidomycosis who had been treated to determine a possible connection between high antibody titers and adrenal dysfunction attributable to persistence of the fungus in adrenal gland. Adrenal gland function was studied in 28 previously treated patients, 2 (7.1%) of whom were shown to have adrenal insufficiency and 7 (259%) who showed a below normal response to stimuli by adrenocorticotropic hormone. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis was detected in the adrenal gland from one of the patients with adrenal insufficiency. Although the study failed to demonstrate a significant difference between high antibody titers and low cortisol levels, the proportion of adrenal insufficiency detected and the subnormal response to adrenocorticotropic hormone confirmed that adrenal damage is an important sequela of paracoccidioidomycosis. Studies with a larger number of patients should be conducted to confirm the hypothesis of persistence of P. brasiliensis in adrenal gland after therapy.
authors.affiliation: Medical and Experimental Mycology Unit, Corporación para Investigaciones Biológicas, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Angela M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Tobón
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Agudelo
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Restrepo
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Villa
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Quiceno
authors.forename: Santiago
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Estrada
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Restrepo
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000309:Adrenal Insufficiency / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000209:etiology; D000465:Algorithms; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000633:toxicity*; D010228:Paracoccidioides / Q000187:drug effects*; D010229:Paracoccidioidomycosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone