Abstract
The main goals of medical therapy for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) are (1) to replace deficient cortisol with a suitable glucocorticoid (GC), (2) to reduce ACTH oversecretion and thereby prevent excessive androgen secretion, and (3) to replace deficient aldosterone with suitable mineralocorticoid (MC) and sodium supplements. Appropriate steroid treatment prevents adrenal crisis and virilization, allowing normal growth and development. A secondary goal is to preserve reproductive potential.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Bonfig, W., Bechtold, S., Schmidt, H., Knorr, D., & Schwarz, H. P., “Reduced final height outcome in congenital adrenal hyperplasia under prednisone treatment: Deceleration of growth velocity during puberty,” J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 92, 1635–1639 (2007).
Punthakee, Z., Legault, L., & Polychronakos, C., “Prednisolone in the treatment of adrenal insufficiency: A re-evaluation of relative potency,” J. Pediatrics 143(3), 402–405 (2003).
Rivkees, S. A. & Crawford, J. D., “Dexamethasone treatment of virilizing congenital adrenal hyperplasia: The ability to achieve normal growth,” Pediatrics 106(4), 767–773 (2000).
Merke, D. P., Cho, D., Anton Calis, K., Keil, M. F., & Chrousos, G. P., “Hydrocortisone suspension and hydrocortisone tablets are not bioequivalent in the treatment of children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia,” J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 86(1), 441–445 (2001).
German, A., et al., “Control of childhood congenital adrenal hyperplasia and sleep activity and quality with morning or evening glucocorticoid therapy,” J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 93(12), 4707–4710 (2008).
Bonfig, W., et al., “Hydrocortisone dosing during puberty in patients with classical congenital adrenal hyperplasia: An evidence based recommendation,” J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 94 3882–3888 (2009).
Speiser, P. W., et al., “Congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency: An endocrine society clinical practice guideline,” J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 95, 4133–4160 (2010).
Charmandari, E., Hindmarsh, P. C., Johnston, A., & Brook, C. G., “Congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency: Alterations in cortisol pharmacokinetics at puberty,” J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 86(6), 2701–2708 (2001).
Nimkarn, S., Lin-Su, K., Berglind, N., Wilson, R. C., & New, M. I., “Aldosterone-to-renin ratio as a marker for disease severity in 21-hydroxylase deficiency congenital adrenal hyperplasia,” J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 92(1), 137–142 (2007).
Muthusamy K., et al., “Adult height outcomes in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia: A systematic review and meta-analysis,” J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 95, 4161–4172 (2010).
Gomes, L. G., et al., “Extraadrenal 21-hydroxylation by CYP2C19 and CYP3A4: Effect on 21-hydroxylase deficiency,” J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 94, 89–95 (2010).
Speiser, P. W., Agdere, L., Ueshiba, H., White, P. C., & New, M. I., “Aldosterone synthesis in salt-wasting congenital adrenal hyperplasia with complete absence of adrenal 21-hydroxylase,” N. Engl. J. Med. 324(3), 145–149 (1991).
Weise, M., et al., “Stress dose of hydrocortisone is not beneficial in patients with classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia undergoing short-term, high-intensity exercise,” J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 89(8), 3679–3684 (2004).
Manoli, I., Kanaka-Gantenbein, C., Voutetakis, A., Maniati-Christidi, M., & Dacou-Voutetakis, C., “Early growth, pubertal development, body mass index and final height of patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia: Factors influencing the outcome,” Clin. Endocrinol (Oxf). 57(5), 669–676 (2002).
Rasat, R., Espiner, E. A., & Abbott, G. D., “Growth patterns and outcomes in congenital adrenal hyperplasia; effect of chronic treatment regimens,” N. Z. Med. J. 108(1005), 311–314 (1995).
Weintrob, N., Dickerman, Z., Sprecher, E., Galatzer, A., & Pertzelan, A., “Non-classical 21-hydroxylase deficiency in infancy and childhood: The effect of time of initiation of therapy on puberty and final height,” Eur. J. Endocrinol. 136(2), 188–195 (1997).
Laue, L., et al., “A preliminary study of flutamide, testolactone, and reduced hydrocortisone dose in the treatment of congenital adrenal hyperplasia,” J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 81(10), 3535–3539 (1996).
Merke, D. P., et al., “Flutamide, testolactone, and reduced hydrocortisone dose maintain normal growth velocity and bone maturation despite elevated androgen levels in children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia,” J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 85(3), 1114–1120 (2000).
Quintos, J. B., Vogiatzi, M. G., Harbison, M. D., & New, M. I., “Growth hormone therapy alone or in combination with gonadotropin- releasing hormone analog therapy to improve the height deficit in children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia,” J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 86(4), 1511–1517 (2001).
Lin-Su, K., et al., “Treatment with growth hormone and luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analog improves final adult height in children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia,” J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 90(6), 3318–3325 (2005).
Dacou-Voutetakis, C. and Karidis, N., “Congenital adrenal hyperplasia complicated by central precocious puberty: Treatment with LHRH-agonist analogue,” Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 687, 250–254 (1993).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
About this paper
Cite this paper
Speiser, P.W. (2011). Medical Treatment of Classic and Nonclassic Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia. In: New, M., Simpson, J. (eds) Hormonal and Genetic Basis of Sexual Differentiation Disorders and Hot Topics in Endocrinology: Proceedings of the 2nd World Conference. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 707. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-8002-1_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-8002-1_9
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-8001-4
Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-8002-1
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)