Adrenal insufficiency in early phase of pediatric acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome

Samransamruajkit, Rujipat; Jitchaiwat, Siriwan; Deerojanawong, Jitladda; Sritippayawan, Suchada; Praphal, Nuanchan

doi:10.1016/j.jcrc.2007.03.003

« Previous Next »Journal of Critical Care
Volume 22, Issue 4 , Pages 314-318, December 2007

Adrenal insufficiency in early phase of pediatric acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome

Rujipat Samransamruajkit, MD
- Respiratory and Critical Care unit, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Corresponding author. Pediatric pulmonary & Critical Care Division, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330 Thailand. Tel.: +66 2 256 4996x129, 123; fax: +66 2 256 4911.
Siriwan Jitchaiwat, MD
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Jitladda Deerojanawong, MD
- Respiratory and Critical Care unit, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Suchada Sritippayawan, MD
- Respiratory and Critical Care unit, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Nuanchan Praphal, MD
- Respiratory and Critical Care unit, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand

published online 05 July 2007.

Abstract

Introduction

Adequate adrenal function is essential to survive critical illness. Several recent articles have reported the significant effect of adrenal insufficiency (AI) in patients with sepsis. However, the prevalence of AI in pediatric acute lung injury (ALI)/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is so far still scanty. Thus, we elected to study its prevalence and its clinical outcome.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional observational study. We enrolled eligible infants and children aged between 1 month and 15 years who were admitted to our tertiary pediatric intensive care unit from February 1, 2005, to December 31, 2005, with ALI or ARDS diagnosed by the American-European Consensus criteria. A short corticotropin stimulation test (250 μg) was done within 24 hours of enrollment, and all clinical data were also recorded. Cortisol levels were measured at baseline, 30 minutes, and 60 minutes posttest. Adrenal insufficiency was defined as a baseline cortisol level of less than 15.1 μg/dL or an increment of cortisol level of less than 9 μg/dL after the adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test.

Results

Of 507 patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit, there were 20 diagnosed with ALI/ARDS. Of 20 children, 16 met the inclusion criteria and had none of the exclusion criteria. Of 16, there were 9 (56%) with ARDS, and 7 (44%) of 12 had ALI. The prevalence of AI was observed in 37.5% (6/16), diagnosed by baseline level criteria in 25% (4/16) and by incremental criteria in 12.5% (2/16). The Baseline level of the adrenocorticotropic hormone was 7.8 ± 5 (nmol/L). The median age in the AI group was 2 months. Of 6 children, 5 (83.3%) were in the ARDS group. Pediatric Risk of Mortality III score was significantly higher in the AI group compared with that in the non-AI (P < .05). Initial Pao₂/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio tended to be lower in the AI group (123.2 ± 62.2) compared with that in the non-AI group (183.8 ± 79.1), although not statistically significant (P = .1). The mortality was also not statistically different between the AI (1/6, 16.7%) and the non-AI groups (1/10, 10%).

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that the prevalence of AI was common in pediatric ALI/ARDS. These results would be an initial step to further study the impact of AI on clinical outcomes of these children in a larger scale.

Keywords: Adrenal insufficiency, Acute lung injury/ARDS, Prevalence

Abbreviations: ALI/ARDS, acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome, AI, adrenal insufficiency, Non-AI, non–adrenal insufficiency, PRISM, Pediatric Risk of Mortality, ACTH, adrenocorticotropic hormone