Abstract

Abstract A 45-year-old female with a past medical history of Hashimoto thyroiditis and celiac disease presented after a syncopal episode that resulted in a motor vehicle accident. The patient had symptoms of fatigue, nausea, and anorexia for three weeks following the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. Initial laboratory tests revealed hyponatremia with serum sodium (Na) of 123mEq/L that worsened to 111mEq/L after receiving the normal saline infusion. Serum potassium was 3.4mEq/l, Thyroid-stimulating hormone level was 6.350mIU/l, free thyroxine level was 1.1 ng/dl and glucose were 85mg/dl. The PCR test for COVID-19 was negative. Vitals were unremarkable except for a low blood pressure of 90/60. On physical examination, the patient was alert and communicative and there was no hyperpigmentation of the skin. The patient denied personal and family history of adrenal insufficiency. She denied prior use of any steroid medications. Her prior outpatient serum Na levels were normal (138-140 mEq/L). The patient was admitted to the ICU for severe hyponatremia, where she was treated with fluid restriction and hypertonic saline. However, she remained hypotensive, and serum sodium failed to improve above 118mEq/l. Serum cortisol at 8: 00 am and 10: 00 am were 4.5 and 5.8 mcg/dl, respectively. She was started on stress doses of hydrocortisone 100 mg intravenous (IV) followed by hydrocortisone 50 mg IV every 8 hours and serum Na improved to 130m Eq/l. Steroids were tapered gradually to physiological doses. The levothyroxine dose was also increased from the home dose of 75mcg to 88 mcg daily due to the elevated TSH. Hormonal workup showed aldosterone of 0.3ng/dl, plasma renin activity of 20, and adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH) levels of >1250pg/ml. Gonadotropins, insulin-like growth factor-1, and prolactin were within normal limits. Cosyntropin stimulation test after holding steroids for 24 hours was abnormal, with pre-cosyntropin cortisol level 7. 0mcg/dl, and the 60-minute post-cosyntropin cortisol level 7.1mcg/dl. The diagnosis of autoimmune adrenalitis was confirmed with a positive 21-hydroxylase antibody test. The patient had an uneventful recovery and was discharged on oral hydrocortisone. Presentation: No date and time listed

Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.