Hyperkalemia and Acute Kidney Injury in an Adolescent: Thinking Outside the Box

Pediatr Emerg Care. 2020 May;36(5):e288-e290. doi: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000001374.

Abstract

Addison disease is a rare endocrine disorder, which typically presents with nonspecific symptoms including weight loss, fatigue, and nausea in conjunction with hyponatremia and hyperkalemia. This case demonstrates key diagnostic clues in evaluation of an adolescent who presented with severe hyperkalemia and acute kidney injury that was resistant to insulin, glucose, and sodium polystyrene sulfonate and was found to have primary adrenal insufficiency.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acute Kidney Injury / etiology*
  • Addison Disease / complications
  • Addison Disease / diagnosis*
  • Addison Disease / drug therapy
  • Adolescent
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydrocortisone / blood
  • Hydrocortisone / therapeutic use
  • Hyperkalemia / etiology*
  • Hyponatremia / etiology

Substances

  • Hydrocortisone