Abstract
Background: Relative adrenal insufficiency (RAI) is a condition where the adrenal glands fail to produce enough cortisol to meet the body's heightened needs, especially during critical illness. This insufficiency may lead to unstable blood pressure, necessitating the use of vasopressors and is often linked to higher mortality in severely ill patients. There is limited research on whether decompensated cirrhosis, particularly in the absence of infection, can induce RAI.
Aim: This study aims to assess the prevalence of relative adrenal insufficiency in Egyptian patients with hepatic encephalopathy.
Methods: We conducted a prospective study at Sayed Galal University Hospital, enrolling 90 patients diagnosed with hepatic encephalopathy due to decompensated liver cirrhosis who were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Results: RAI was identified in 58.9% of the patients, affecting 53 out of the 90 participants. There were no significant differences between RAI and non-RAI groups concerning demographic or clinical characteristics, including liver disease severity, encephalopathy grade, or imaging findings.
Conclusion: RAI is common among patients with decompensated cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy, but it appears to have no association with the severity of liver disease or related laboratory findings.
Article Type
Original Article
Keywords
Relative adrenal insufficiency; hepatic encephalopathy; decompensated cirrhosis
Subject Area
Internal Medicine
How to Cite This Article
Mohammed, Mohammed Fathy Abdelsalam; Salem, Ayman Mohamed; Shaheen, Mohammed Ahmed Anwar; and Al Alfy, Mohamed Noshy
(2024)
"Relative Adrenal Insufficiency among Egyptian Patients with Hepatic Encephalopathy,"
Al-Azhar International Medical Journal: Vol. 5:
Iss.
12, Article 30.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58675/2682-339X.2809
