Incidence and Risk Factors for Adrenal Crisis in Pediatric-onset Adrenal Insufficiency: A Prospective Study

Abstract

Context: Adrenal crisis (AC) is a life-threatening complication that occurs during follow-up of patients with adrenal insufficiency (AI). No prospective study has thoroughly investigated AC in children with primary and secondary AI.

Objective: This work aimed to determine the incidence and risk factors for AC in patients with pediatric-onset AI.

Methods: This multicenter, prospective cohort study conducted in Japan enrolled patients diagnosed with AI at age ≤15 years. The incidence of AC was calculated as events per person-year (PY), and risk factors for AC were assessed using Poisson regression multivariable analysis.

Results: The study population comprised 349 patients (164 male, 185 female) with a total follow-up of 961 PY. The median age at enrollment was 14.3 years (interquartile range [IQR] 8.5-21.2 years), and the median follow-up was 2.8 years (IQR 2.2-3.3 years). Of these patients, 213 (61%) had primary AI and 136 (39%) had secondary AI. Forty-one AC events occurred in 31 patients during the study period. The calculated incidence of AC was 4.27 per 100 PY (95% CI, 3.15-5.75). Poisson regression analysis identified younger age at enrollment (relative risk [RR] 0.93; 95% CI, 0.89-0.97) and increased number of infections (RR 1.17; 95% CI, 1.07-1.27) as significant risk factors. Female sex (RR 0.99; 95% CI, 0.53-1.86), primary AI (RR 0.65; 95% CI, 0.30-1.41), or equivalent dosage of hydrocortisone per square meter of body area (RR 1.02; 95% CI, 0.96-1.08) was not a significant risk factor.

Conclusion: A substantial proportion of patients with pediatric-onset AI experience AC. Younger age and an increased number of infections are independent risk factors for developing AC in these patients.

Keywords: adrenal crisis; adrenal insufficiency; incidence; prospective study; risk factor.