title: Diagnosis and management of adrenal insufficiency.
abstract: Adrenal insufficiency continues to be a challenge for patients, their physicians, and researchers. During the past decade, long-term studies have shown increased mortality and morbidity and impaired quality of life in patients with adrenal insufficiency. These findings might, at least partially, be due to the failure of glucocorticoid replacement therapy to closely resemble physiological diurnal secretion of cortisol. The potential effect of newly developed glucocorticoid drugs is a focus of research, as are the mechanisms potentially underlying increased morbidity and mortality. Adrenal crisis remains a threat to lives, and awareness and preventative measures now receive increasing attention. Awareness should be raised in medical teams and patients about adrenal insufficiency and management of adrenal crisis to improve clinical outcome.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutrition, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Centre for Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism (CEDAM), School of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bancos
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology and Diabetes Unit, Department of Medicine I, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hahner
authors.affiliation: Centre for Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism (CEDAM), School of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tomlinson
authors.affiliation: Centre for Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism (CEDAM), School of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. Electronic address: w.arlt@bham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Wiebke
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Arlt
mesh_terms: D000309:Adrenal Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids