All issues > Volume 34(8); 1991

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1991;34(8):1169-1174. Published online August 31, 1991.

A case of Addison's disease.

Cheol Hee Hwang¹, Dong Kui Lee¹, Myung Sug Nam¹, Mun Ki Cho¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, St. Columban Hospital, Mokpo, Korea

Received: November 27, 1990;  Accepted: March 13, 1991.

Abstract

Addison’s disease is a rare disorder resulting from progressive adrenocortical destruction regardless of the nature of underlying process. A 5-year-old boy with Addison’s disease without other endocrine disorder presented with a brief review of the literature. The patient was admitted to out hospital because of poor appetite and generalized darkish brown pigmentation of skin and mucous membrane. On physical examination, skin and mucous membrane were diffusely darkish brown, especially over the face, finger tips, toe tips, lips and gingiva. Laboratory studies showed low serum cortisol, high ACTH concentration and low 24 hours urinary 17-KS and 17-OHCS, but 8 hours intravenous ACTH stimulation test failed to rise the plasma cortisol and 24 hours urinary 17-KS and 17-OHCS level. The patient has been placing on cortisone acetate with improvement.

Keywords :Addison's disease;Chronic adrenal insufficiency