title: The Evaluation of Adrenal Function in Two Cases of Hypocortisolism Accompanied by Liver Cirrhosis.
abstract: Adrenal insufficiency may occur in patients with liver cirrhosis. The assessment of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal function is important in such patients, but there is no consensus as to how it should be performed. We herein report the results of our evaluation of the adrenal function in two patients with hypocortisolism accompanied by liver cirrhosis. The patients lacked the typical features of hypocortisolism. One was diagnosed with hypocortisolism accompanied by liver cirrhosis while the other had secondary adrenal insufficiency caused by a hypothalamic disorder. Hypocortisolism accompanied by liver cirrhosis should be evaluated by endocrine tests to determine its pathogenesis. A low-dose adrenocorticotropic hormone test may be appropriate for non-critically ill cirrhotic patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kageyama
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Miyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yanagimachi
authors.forename: Eri
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murasawa
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tamasawa
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daimon
mesh_terms: D000309:Adrenal Insufficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D006854:Hydrocortisone