Adrenal Insufficiency - Causes

Causes

Causes of acute adrenal insufficiency are mainly Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome, sudden withdrawal of long-term corticosteroid therapy and stress in patients with underlying chronic adrenal insufficiency. The latter is termed critical illness–related corticosteroid insufficiency.

For chronic adrenal insufficiency, the major contributors are autoimmune adrenalitis, tuberculosis, AIDS and metastatic disease. Minor causes of chronic adrenal insufficiency are systemic amyloidosis, fungal infections, hemochromatosis and sarcoidosis.

Autoimmune adrenalitis may be part of Type 2 autoimmune polyglandular syndrome, which can include type 1 diabetes, hyperthyroidism, autoimmune thyroid disease (also known as autoimmune thyroiditis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Hashimoto's disease). Hypogonadism and pernicious anemia may also present with this syndrome.

Adrenoleukodystrophy can also cause adrenal insufficiency.

Adrenal Insufficiency can also be caused when a patient has a Craniopharyngioma which is a benign tumor that can damage the Pituitary gland causing the Adrenal Glands not to function. This would be an example of Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency Syndrome.