Elevated Baseline Cortisol Levels Are Predictive of Bad Outcomes in Critically Ill Children

Yael Levy-Shraga*, Orit Pinhas-Hamiel, Vered Molina-Hazan, Liran Tamir-Hostovsky, Zeev Motti Eini, Liat Lerner-Geva, Gideon Paret

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective The definition of an adequate adrenal response in critically ill children continues to be controversial. We aimed to evaluate the cortisol levels at baseline and after adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) stimulation and determine their association to clinical outcome of critically ill children. Methods All children who underwent an ACTH test in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) in a tertiary medical center between 2006 and 2013 were included in the study. Data on age, sex, diagnosis, vasoactive-inotropic score, length of pediatric intensive care unit stay, and mortality were obtained. Laboratory variables included hematologic and chemistry data, arterial lactate, and total plasma cortisol levels at baseline and after ACTH stimulation. Results Ninety-nine patients (61 males; median [range] age, 2 [0-204] months) were enrolled. The mortality rate of children with a baseline cortisol level of 600 nmol/L or greater was 36% (12/33 patients) versus 18% (12/66 patients) for children with a baseline cortisol level of less than 600 nmol/L (odds ratio, 2.6 [95% confidence interval, 1-6.6]; P = 0.05). There was a positive correlation between baseline cortisol and lactate levels (r = 0.40, P < 0.0001), vasoactive-inotropic scores (r = 0.24, P = 0.02), and mortality (P = 0.05). There was no correlation between peak cortisol measured at the ACTH test or the delta increment of cortisol from baseline and mortality. Conclusions A high baseline cortisol level in critically ill children was associated with more severe illness, higher lactate level, and a higher mortality rate. Routine baseline cortisol assessment is recommended to identify patients at high mortality risk.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)613-617
Number of pages5
JournalPediatric Emergency Care
Volume34
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Sep 2018

Keywords

  • CIRCI
  • adrenal insufficiency
  • cortisol
  • critical illness

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