Addison Disease Research Paper

Adrenal insufficiency so called Addison Disease is an endocrine condition defined as the inadequate production or action of glucocorticoids, principally a steroid hormone called cortisol. The adrenal insufficiency is a rare condition in childhood, but it carries the risk of adrenal crisis in the event of a child becoming unwell as a result of intercurrent illness, injury or surgery.
Pathophysiology
The adrenal glands have many functions contributing to homeostasis in the body. This is one of the most important glands in the human body. This gland produces certain hormones such as adrenaline and the steroids aldosterone and cortisol. When cortisol concentrations in the blood are low the hypothalamus secretes corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). CRF is released, stimulating the anterior pituitary to produce adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) which, in turn, stimulates the adrenal cortex to release cortisol into circulation. When this happens, there is no homeostasis in the body, and sickness develops. …show more content…
Primary adrenal insufficiency (Addison disease) is uncommon in the United States. According to Speiser and Bowden (2016), adrenal insufficiency secondary to congenital adrenal hyperplasia occurs in approximately 1 per 16,000 infants. Worldwide, the most common cause of adrenal insufficiency is tuberculosis (TB), with a calculated incidence of this condition caused by TB at approximately 5-6 cases per million persons per