Open AccessA Camouflaged Case of Disseminated Tuberculosis Presenting as Adrenal Crisis
Author(s) -
Saquib Navid Siddiqui
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
european journal of medical and health sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2593-8339
DOI - 10.24018/ejmed.2021.3.3.819
Subject(s) - tuberculosis , medicine , disease , mycobacterium tuberculosis , incidence (geometry) , adrenal crisis , endocrine system , intensive care medicine , mycobacterium tuberculosis complex , pediatrics , adrenal insufficiency , dermatology , surgery , pathology , hormone , optics , physics
Lymphohematogenous spread of mycobacterium tuberculosis to multiple organs presents a complex diagnostic challenge to any physician. A holistic and vigilant approach is required in the quest to diagnose disseminated tuberculosis causing adrenal failure. Although tuberculosis can affect various endocrine glands of the body yet adrenal remains the most common.[1] It is also the fifth most common site for extra-pulmonary tuberculosis.[2] The incidence of tuberculous Addison’s disease has lowered courtesy of anti-tubercular medications accounting for only 7-20% of cases.[1] Here we showcase a rare incidence where a 39 years old gentleman with no constitutional symptoms and no known co-morbidities presenting with neck pain went into adrenal crisis and eventually was found to be due to disseminated tuberculosis which affected his lungs, adrenal glands, cervical spine, and brain.