Adrenal Insufficiency, Inflammatory Lung Diseases
Conditions
Keywords
Demonstrate that DEFA4 is a reliable biomarker for the prediction of adrenal insufficiency
Brief summary
The pathophysiology of the adrenal insufficiency of patients with critical diseases remains unclear. In a prior exploratory study investigating patients with exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the investigators demonstrated a highly significant correlation between the expression level of Defensin-alpha 4 (DEFA4) mRNA in blood and the adrenal function assessed via low-dose ACTH tests. The aim of this prospective study is to demonstrate that DEFA4 measured both at the mRNA level (RT-PCR) and at the protein level (Western blot/Elisa) is a reliable biomarker for the prediction of adrenal insufficiency in inflammatory lung diseases (patients with COPD and pneumonia).
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
Cantonal Hospital of St. Gallen
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 80 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Patients 18-80 yo * Patients diagnosed with pneumonia or exacerbated COPD * Healthy controls 18-80yo * Signed informed consent
Exclusion criteria
* Pregnant or lactating females * Life threatening severe disease * Known primary or secondary adrenal insufficiency * Systemic steroid therapy in the last 8 weeks * Systemic therapy with opioid * Systemic therapy with Ketoconazol, Mitotane, Metopyron, Etomidat, Rifampicin * In healthy controls: relevant respiratory disease or known adrenal insufficiency or indication of infection * Allergic reaction to ACTH * Missing informed consent
Outcome results
None listed