Abstract
Objectives
This study aimed to evaluate the level of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and adrenal insufficiency in patients with mucocutaneous pemphigus lesions who use oral corticosteroids.
Methods
This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 54 patients (48.44 ± 12.74 years) with mucocutaneous pemphigus in 2019. Those patients taken corticosteroids in different doses and way. At first, collected patients information including age, sex, type of pemphigus, duration of use, patient dosage, duration of corticosteroid administration, and method of administration were collected daily. Adrenal gland function was measured by evaluating ACTH levels. Data were analyzed by using Pearson correlation coefficient and t-test.
Results
Our study showed that 37 cases (68.5%) had normal ACTH average hormone level (7.3–63.3 mL/pg), 11 cases (20.4%) were lower levels (<7.2 mL/pg), and 6 cases (11.1%) were higher levels (63.3 > mL/pg). Wo observed no significant relationship between ACTH and duration of corticosteroids usage (p=0.207).
Conclusions
Taking a maintenance dose of between 12.5 and 25 mg daily does not usually lead to adrenal insufficiency. The present study showed that the lower the daily dose of corticosteroids, the lower the likelihood of adrenal insufficiency.
Funding source: Isfahan University of Medical Sciences
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Research funding: This study was supported by the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
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Author contributions: The authors contribution to the paper is as follow MS: study concepts and design, data analysis and interpretation, statistical analysis, obtaining funding, critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content and manuscript preparation; ZS: data analysis; MR: biochemical studies and data analysis; IL and EF: biochemical studies and data analysis. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Competing interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest with potential applications or effects of the results of this research.
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Informed consent: Informed consent was obtained from all individuals included in this study.
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Ethical approval: The procedures employed were in keeping with the principles of the Institutional Committee on Ethics in Human Research and the Declaration of Helsinki of 1964 and subsequent modifications. The ethical code was IR.MUI.RESEARCH.REC.1398.164.
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Data availability: The raw data supporting the conclusions of this manuscript will be made available upon request.
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