Adrenal disease

People With Adrenal Insufficiency Who Are in Adrenal Crisis Are Frequently Unable to Self-Administer Rescue Injections

Endocr PractPublished Cross-sectional study

Authors' conclusion

Effective, timely, management of an impending adrenal crisis can prevent progression to hospitalization, multisystem failure requiring intensive care unit care, and death. Reliance solely on patient self-injection may result in worse outcomes. Treating physicians should include patient education about injections and specific practical instruction in the technique, as well as the potential need for assistance in a crisis. US Food and Drug Administration approval of a glucocorticoid autoinjector, greater engagement with Emergency Medical Services clinicians, hospital emergency staff, and other health care professionals, is key for future success in managing adrenal crises.

Study context

Population
Individuals with adrenal insufficiency (AI) or their caregivers, surveyed via the National Adrenal Diseases Foundation website in 2022, reporting adrenal crisis events requiring an emergency cortisol injection
Outcome
Inability to self-administer an emergency glucocorticoid injection
Methodological detailsonline survey
  • Online survey

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

Patients with AI unable to self-administer an emergency glucocorticoid injection

41%

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Further findings

Bad outcomes after failed injections (sicker, need for hospitalization, or death)

Failed injections leading to bad outcomes
36% of cases

Original publication

People With Adrenal Insufficiency Who Are in Adrenal Crisis Are Frequently Unable to Self-Administer Rescue Injections. Endocr Pract. Published 3 March 2025. doi:10.1016/j.eprac.2025.02.017

Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →

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