title: A young man with a dizzy spell and acute abdominal pain.
abstract: Isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) deficiency is a rare cause of secondary adrenal insufficiency and its presentation with adrenal crisis is rather rare. Acute adrenal insufficiency (adrenal crisis) can be an elusive diagnosis, particularly in previously undiagnosed patients. As in this patient, the presentation of adrenal crisis with acute abdominal pain was misdiagnosed as an acute surgical abdomen, leading to a delay in the diagnosis and in the initiation of life saving treatment.
authors.affiliation: Imperial College London Diabetes Centre, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Hassan Mohamed Saeed
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Elasha
authors.forename: Farees
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Anjum
authors.forename: Mussa H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Almalki
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000309:Adrenal Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004244:Dizziness; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D013974:Thyroxine