Risk factors of relative adrenocortical deficiency in intensive care patients needing mechanical ventilation

• Published in: Intensive care medicine 2005-03, Vol.31 (3), p.388-392
• Main Authors: MALERBA, Gabriel, ROMANO-GIRARD, Florence, CRAVOISY, Aurélie, DOUSSET, Brigitte, NACE, Lionel, LEVY, Bruno, BOLLAERT, Pierre-Edouard
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Addison Disease - blood; Addison Disease - epidemiology; Addison Disease - physiopathology; Addison's disease; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; Artificial respiration; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Pressure; Care and treatment; Case studies; Causes of; Clinical death. Palliative care. Organ gift and preservation; Cohort Studies; Complications and side effects; Critical Care - statistics & numerical data; Critically ill; Dosage and administration; Emergency and intensive respiratory care; Etomidate; Etomidate - therapeutic use; Female; France - epidemiology; Health aspects; Humans; Hydrocortisone - blood; Hydrocortisone - therapeutic use; Hypnotics and Sedatives - therapeutic use; Intensive care medicine; Intensive Care Units - statistics & numerical data; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Prospective Studies; Respiration, Artificial - statistics & numerical data; Risk Factors; Sex Distribution
• ISSN: 0342-4642; 1432-1238
• DOI: 10.1007/s00134-004-2550-8

To study the factors associated with relative adrenocortical deficiency in mechanically ventilated, critically ill patients. Prospective observational study in a multidisciplinary ICU of a university-affiliated teaching hospital. Sixty-two consecutive, acutely ill patients needing mechanical ventilation for more than 24 h. A high-dose short corticotropin test 24 h after endotracheal intubation. Relative adrenocortical deficiency ("nonresponder" group of patients) was defined by a rise in cortisol less than 90 microg/l after stimulation. Twenty-seven patients were classified as nonresponders and 35 as responders. On univariate analysis nonresponders were more often men, had lower mean arterial pressure, required vasoactive agents more often, had lower creatinine clearance, higher SAPS II, higher organ dysfunction scores, and received etomidate as a single bolus for endotracheal intubation more often than responders. On multivariate analysis, only etomidate administration was related to relative adrenocortical deficiency (OR 12.21; 95% CI 2.99-49.74) while female gender was protective (OR 0.13; 95% CI 0.03-0.57). A single bolus infusion of etomidate could be a major risk factor for the development of relative adrenocortical deficiency in ICU patients for at least 24 h after administration. Female gender is an independent protective factor.