Effect of Vitamin D in a Patient With Classical Adrenal Hyperplasia due to 11-Hydroxylase Deficiency

Abstract

Both classical and non-classical CAH, like PCOS, are characterized by insulin resistance (IR) and are also ameliorated by measures which reduce IR. Vitamin D supplementation reduces IR and ameliorates PCOS in Vitamin D deficient/insufficient (VDDI) patients-raising the question: would Vitamin D replacement also ameliorate CAH? Our patient is a 47 year old man with Type 2 diabetes (Type 2 DM) and hypertension hospitalized for cellulitis, abscess, osteomyelitis, and gangrene of the left foot. He was not taking any known insulin sensitizers, and denied any history of acne or hyperpigmentation. The patient has no progeny and never had intercourse due to issues concerning his phallus size. He had hypospadias and micropenis at birth. The former was surgically corrected in childhood. His BMI = 36.45 kg/m² with a central fat distribution. On physical examination there was no acanthosis nigricans or hyperpigmentation. He had a stage IVa Hamilton male pattern alopecia that started during his early 20s. He had micropenis (or clitoromegaly), measuring 1.5 - 2cm when flaccid; scrotum (or scrotalized labia majora) was normal in size. Testes is measured 3.4 cm in their long diameter and were firm. On 12-4-2012 his serum 11-deoxycortisol by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC MS/MS) was 2024 ng/dL ( ? 76) while his serum 25-OH-vitamin D by LC MS/MS was 12 ng/mL( ? 30), and his 1,25 (OH)2-Vitamin D3 by LC MS/MS was ? 8 pg/mL (18 - 72). Supplementation was begun with ergocalciferol 50,000 units orally weekly. Nine days later his serum 11-deoxycortisol fell to 425 ng/dL, while serum 25-OH-Vitamin D rose to 23 ng/mL, and serum 1,25-(OH)2-Vitamin D3 remained ?8 pg/mL. Seventeen days later his serum 11-deoxycortisol was 194 ng/dL, while his serum 25-OH-Vitamin D was 27 ng/mL, and his 1,25-(OH)2-vitamin D3 remained ? 8 pg/mL. 28 days after starting supplementation with ergocalciferol the 11-deoxycortisol was < 20ng/dL. The laboratory lost the corresponding sample for Vitamin D metabolites. His lymphocyte karyotype was XY. He refused any biopsies, which might have disclosed mosaicism.Vitamin D might be a means of treating classical 11-hydroxylasedeficiency in patients with a VDDI co-morbidity and suggest that it may work by reducing IR.




J Med Cases. 2013;4(8):569-575
doi: https://doi.org/10.4021/jmc1352w