Possible Adrenal Involvement in Long COVID Syndrome
<i>Background</i>: A significant number of patients with COVID-19 experience prolonged symptoms, known as Long COVID. The most frequent symptoms are fatigue and cognitive dysfunction. We describe a patient suffering from Long COVID in whom adrenal involvement was highlighted. <i>Me...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Medicina |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/57/10/1087 |
| _version_ | 1797513882111049728 |
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| author | Ciro Salzano Giovanna Saracino Giuseppe Cardillo |
| author_facet | Ciro Salzano Giovanna Saracino Giuseppe Cardillo |
| author_sort | Ciro Salzano |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Background</i>: A significant number of patients with COVID-19 experience prolonged symptoms, known as Long COVID. The most frequent symptoms are fatigue and cognitive dysfunction. We describe a patient suffering from Long COVID in whom adrenal involvement was highlighted. <i>Methods</i>: The patient described Long COVID symptoms that persist 3 months after the negativization of the molecular swab test. The main symptoms were weakness, brain fog, dizziness, and muscular and joint pain. All routine lab panels for inflammation, anemia, and thyroid and liver function were conducted. Moreover, salivary cortisol and DHEA-S determinations were used to compute the adrenal stress index (ASI). <i>Results</i>: All tests were negative, except the ASI that showed very low levels of free cortisol. The patient started hydrocortisone acetate supplementation. <i>Conclusion</i>: Long COVID symptoms could be explained by an adrenal involvement, due to a COVID-19 action on adrenal glands and by a iatrogenic side effect of high glucocorticoid therapy during the COVID-19 infection. Salivary cortisol determination is effective for establishing a correct recovery plan. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:23:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3ce5ec4e8e394080a0f498507641118e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:23:48Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medicina |
| spelling | doaj.art-3ce5ec4e8e394080a0f498507641118e2023-11-22T19:04:41ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442021-10-015710108710.3390/medicina57101087Possible Adrenal Involvement in Long COVID SyndromeCiro Salzano0Giovanna Saracino1Giuseppe Cardillo2Unit of Internal Medicine, San Giovanni Bosco Hospital, ASL-NA1, Via Filippo Maria Briganti, 255, 80144 Napoli, ItalyMedylab–Advanced Biochemistry, Viale Martiri di Nassiriya, 14, 81030 Lusciano, ItalyMedylab–Advanced Biochemistry, Viale Martiri di Nassiriya, 14, 81030 Lusciano, Italy<i>Background</i>: A significant number of patients with COVID-19 experience prolonged symptoms, known as Long COVID. The most frequent symptoms are fatigue and cognitive dysfunction. We describe a patient suffering from Long COVID in whom adrenal involvement was highlighted. <i>Methods</i>: The patient described Long COVID symptoms that persist 3 months after the negativization of the molecular swab test. The main symptoms were weakness, brain fog, dizziness, and muscular and joint pain. All routine lab panels for inflammation, anemia, and thyroid and liver function were conducted. Moreover, salivary cortisol and DHEA-S determinations were used to compute the adrenal stress index (ASI). <i>Results</i>: All tests were negative, except the ASI that showed very low levels of free cortisol. The patient started hydrocortisone acetate supplementation. <i>Conclusion</i>: Long COVID symptoms could be explained by an adrenal involvement, due to a COVID-19 action on adrenal glands and by a iatrogenic side effect of high glucocorticoid therapy during the COVID-19 infection. Salivary cortisol determination is effective for establishing a correct recovery plan.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/57/10/1087Long COVIDsalivary cortisol and DHEA-Sadrenal insufficiency |
| spellingShingle | Ciro Salzano Giovanna Saracino Giuseppe Cardillo Possible Adrenal Involvement in Long COVID Syndrome Medicina Long COVID salivary cortisol and DHEA-S adrenal insufficiency |
| title | Possible Adrenal Involvement in Long COVID Syndrome |
| title_full | Possible Adrenal Involvement in Long COVID Syndrome |
| title_fullStr | Possible Adrenal Involvement in Long COVID Syndrome |
| title_full_unstemmed | Possible Adrenal Involvement in Long COVID Syndrome |
| title_short | Possible Adrenal Involvement in Long COVID Syndrome |
| title_sort | possible adrenal involvement in long covid syndrome |
| topic | Long COVID salivary cortisol and DHEA-S adrenal insufficiency |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/57/10/1087 |
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