Fréquence et déterminants de l’insuffisance surrénalienne biologique dépistée par le test au Synacthène® à 250μg lors du sevrage d’une corticothérapie prolongée. Étude chez 100 patients
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Abstract
The frequency of adrenal insufficiency after a prolonged, continuous course of oral
high-dose corticosteroids is poorly documented. We evaluated it retrospectively in
our internal medicine department.
The patients were included between February 2000 and June 2007 and were administered
a Synacthene 250 microg test (ST250) before tapering prednisone dose below 5mg per
day. A non-responsive test was defined by a cortisol increase below 18 microg/dL,
60 min after stimulation. We also studied the risk factors associated with biological
adrenal insufficiency by a multivariate logistic regression analysis.
Hundred patients were included (mean age: 61.5+/-16.3 years). Mean initial dose of
corticosteroids was 65.5+/-112 mg/d. Forty-five patients failed to respond to the
ST250. A normal ST250 was negatively associated with a duration of corticosteroids
therapy longer than 19.5 months (OR=0.38 [0.15-0.94]; p=0.04) and positively with
an age over 63.5 years (OR=2.5 [1.1-6.4]; p=0.05). Two patients experienced a clinical
adrenal insufficiency crisis.
Biological adrenal insufficiency is very common after a prolonged course of oral high-dose
corticosteroids. The risk does not seem to increase with age. The clinical benefit
of a systematic ST250 at the time of corticosteroids withdrawal followed by hydrocortisone
substitution if the test is non responsive remains unknown, and this practice is still
a matter of debate.
Copyright 2010 Société nationale française de médecine interne (SNFMI). Published
by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.