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Free access

Standardised patient education in adrenal insufficiency: a prospective multi-centre evaluation

Stephanie Burger-Stritt, Annemarie Eff, Marcus Quinkler, Tina Kienitz, Bettina Stamm, Holger S Willenberg, Gesine Meyer, Johannes Klein, Nicole Reisch, Michael Droste, and Stefanie Hahner

Objective

Patients with adrenal insufficiency (AI) suffer from impaired quality of life and are at risk of adrenal crisis (AC) despite established replacement therapy. Patient education is regarded an important measure for prevention of AC and improvement of AI management. A standardized education programme was elaborated for patients with chronic AI in Germany.

Design

Longitudinal, prospective, questionnaire-based, multi-centre study.

Methods

During 2-h sessions, patients (n = 526) were provided with basic knowledge on AI, equipped with emergency cards and sets and trained in self-injection of hydrocortisone. To evaluate the education programme, patients from eight certified centres completed questionnaires before, immediately after and 6–9 months after training.

Results

399 completed data sets were available for analysis. Questionnaire score-values were significantly higher after patient education, indicating successful knowledge transfer (baseline: 17 ± 7.1 of a maximum score of 29; after training: 23 ± 4.2; P < 0.001), and remained stable over 6–9 months. Female sex, younger age and primary cause of AI were associated with higher baseline scores; after education, age, cause of AI and previous adrenal crisis had a significant main effect on scores. 91% of patients would dare performing self-injection after training, compared to 68% at baseline. An improvement of subjective well-being through participation in the education programme was indicated by 95% of the patients 6–9 months after participation.

Conclusion

Patient group education in chronic AI represents a helpful tool for the guidance of patients, their self-assurance and their knowledge on prevention of adrenal crises. Repeated training and adaptation to specific needs, for example, of older patients is needed.

Open access

11-Oxygenated androgens are not secreted by the human ovary: in-vivo data from four different cases of hyperandrogenism

Matthias K Auer, James M Hawley, Christian Lottspeich, Martin Bidlingmaier, Andrea Sappl, Hanna F Nowotny, Lea Tschaidse, Marcus Treitl, Martin Reincke, Brian G Keevil, and Nicole Reisch

Objective

Differentiation of an adrenal from an ovarian source of hyperandrogenemia can be challenging. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of 11-oxygenated C19 steroids to the androgen pool in humans. The aim of this study was to confirm the origin of 11-oxygenated androgens in females and to explore their potential use in the diagnostics of hyperandrogenic disorders.

Methods

We measured testosterone and its precursors (dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate and androstenedione) and 11-oxygenated androgens (11β-hydroxyandrostenedione (11-OHA4) and 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT)) in the periphery, adrenal and ovarian veins in four different cases of hyperandrogenism in females (polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), primary bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia, Sertoli–Leydig cell tumor and ovarian steroid cell tumor).

Results

Two patients demonstrate excessive testosterone secretion in neoplastic ovarian tumors which was not paralleled by a significant secretion of 11-oxygenated androgens as determined by adrenal and ovarian vein sampling. In androgen-secreting bilateral adrenal macronodular hyperplasia, steroid profiles were characterized by elevated 11-KT and 11-OHA4 concentrations in adrenal veins and the periphery. In the patient with PCOS, peripheral 11-KT concentrations were slightly elevated in comparison to the other patients, but the 11-KT and 11-OHA4 concentrations were comparable in ovarian veins and in the periphery.

Conclusion

This study confirms that 11-OHA4 and 11-KT are not biosynthesized by the ovary. We propose that the testosterone/11-KT ratio as well as 11-OHA4 could help identify predominant adrenal androgen excess and distinguish neoplastic and non-neoplastic ovarian androgen source.

Significance statement

This study confirms that 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione (11-OHA4) and 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) are not biosynthesized by the human ovary. We propose that the testosterone/11-KT ratio as well as 11-OHA4 could help to identify predominant adrenal androgen excess and distinguish neoplastic and non-neoplastic ovarian androgen source.

Open access

11-Oxygenated C19 steroids are the predominant androgens responsible for hyperandrogenemia in Cushing’s disease

Hanna F Nowotny, Leah Braun, Frederick Vogel, Martin Bidlingmaier, Martin Reincke, Lea Tschaidse, Matthias K Auer, Christian Lottspeich, Stefan A Wudy, Michaela F Hartmann, James Hawley, Joanne E Adaway, Brian Keevil, Katharina Schilbach, and Nicole Reisch

Background

Symptoms of hyperandrogenism are common in patients with Cushing’s disease (CD), yet they are not sufficiently explained by androgen concentrations. In this study, we analyzed the contribution of 11-oxygenated C19 steroids (11oxC19) to hyperandrogenemia in female patients with CD.

Methods

We assessed saliva day profiles in females with CD pre (n  = 23) and post (n  = 13) successful transsphenoidal surgery, 26 female controls, 5 females with CD treated with metyrapone and 5 treated with osilodrostat for cortisol, cortisone, androstenedione (A4), 11-hydroxyandrostenedione (11OHA4), testosterone (TS), 11-ketotestosterone (11KT), as well as metabolites of classic and 11-oxygenated androgens in 24-h urine. In addition, morning baseline levels of gonadotropins and estradiol, sex hormone-binding globulin, cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) in serum and adrenocorticotrophic hormone in plasma in patients and controls were investigated.

Results

Treatment-naïve females with CD showed a significantly elevated area under the curve of 11OHA4 and 11KT in saliva throughout the day compared to controls (11OHA4 mean rank difference (mrd) 18.13, P = 0.0002; 11KT mrd 17.42; P = 0.0005), whereas A4, TS and DHEAS were comparable to controls. Gonadotropin concentrations were normal in all patients with CD. After transsphenoidal surgery, 11oxC19 and their metabolites dropped significantly in saliva (11OHA4 P < 0.0001; 11KT P = 0.0010) and urine (11-oxo-androsterone P = 0.0011; 11-hydroxy-androsterone P < 0.0001), treatment with osilodrostat and metyrapone efficaciously blocked 11oxC19 synthesis.

Conclusion

Hyperandrogenemia in CD is predominantly caused by excess of 11oxC19 steroids.

Open access

Prenatal dexamethasone treatment for classic 21-hydroxylase deficiency in Europe

Hanna Nowotny, Uta Neumann, Véronique Tardy-Guidollet, S Faisal Ahmed, Federico Baronio, Tadej Battelino, Jérôme Bertherat, Oliver Blankenstein, Marco Bonomi, Claire Bouvattier, Aude Brac de la Perrière, Sara Brucker, Marco Cappa, Philippe Chanson, Hedi L Claahsen-van der Grinten, Annamaria Colao, Martine Cools, Justin H Davies, Helmut-Günther Dörr, Wiebke K Fenske, Ezio Ghigo, Roberta Giordano, Claus H Gravholt, Angela Huebner, Eystein Sverre Husebye, Rebecca Igbokwe, Anders Juul, Florian W Kiefer, Juliane Léger, Rita Menassa, Gesine Meyer, Vassos Neocleous, Leonidas A Phylactou, Julia Rohayem, Gianni Russo, Carla Scaroni, Philippe Touraine, Nicole Unger, Jarmila Vojtková, Diego Yeste, Svetlana Lajic, and Nicole Reisch

Objective

To assess the current medical practice in Europe regarding prenatal dexamethasone (Pdex) treatment of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency.

Design and methods

A questionnaire was designed and distributed, including 17 questions collecting quantitative and qualitative data. Thirty-six medical centres from 14 European countries responded and 30 out of 36 centres were reference centres of the European Reference Network on Rare Endocrine Conditions, EndoERN.

Results

Pdex treatment is currently provided by 36% of the surveyed centres. The treatment is initiated by different specialties, that is paediatricians, endocrinologists, gynaecologists or geneticists. Regarding the starting point of Pdex, 23% stated to initiate therapy at 4–5 weeks postconception (wpc), 31% at 6 wpc and 46 % as early as pregnancy is confirmed and before 7 wpc at the latest. A dose of 20 µg/kg/day is used. Dose distribution among the centres varies from once to thrice daily. Prenatal diagnostics for treated cases are conducted in 72% of the responding centres. Cases treated per country and year vary between 0.5 and 8.25. Registries for long-term follow-up are only available at 46% of the centres that are using Pdex treatment. National registries are only available in Sweden and France.

Conclusions

This study reveals a high international variability and discrepancy in the use of Pdex treatment across Europe. It highlights the importance of a European cooperation initiative for a joint international prospective trial to establish evidence-based guidelines on prenatal diagnostics, treatment and follow-up of pregnancies at risk for CAH.