Following the introduction of life-saving glucocorticoid replacement 60 years ago, congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) has evolved from being perceived as a paediatric disorder to being recognized as a lifelong, chronic condition affecting patients of all age groups. Increasing evidence suggests that patients with CAH have an increased risk to develop health problems during adult life, with si...

CONTEXT As a result of the introduction of treatment with glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids, now 60 years ago, congenital adrenal hyperplasia has become a lifelong chronic disease. Whether long-term treatment of the disease leads to long-term side effects remains unknown. In this respect, especially cardiovascular risk seems to be important. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS We reviewed the reported pr...

Congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia is the most severe form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Affected individuals can synthesize no steroid hormones, and hence are all phenotypic females with a severe salt-losing syndrome that is fatal if not treated in early infancy. All previous studies have suggested that the disorder is in the cholesterol side chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc), which conv...

Lipoid congenital adrenal hyperplasia (lipoid CAH), a rare disorder of steroid biosynthesis, is the most severe form of CAH. In this disorder the synthesis of glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids and sex steroids is impaired which result in adrenal failure, severe salt wasting crisis and hyperpigmentation in phenotypical female infants irrespective of genetic sex. In this report, we presented a ...

Congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia (lipoid CAH) is the most fatal form of CAH, as it disrupts adrenal and gonadal steroidogenesis. Most cases of lipoid CAH are caused by recessive mutations in the gene encoding steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR). Affected patients typically present with signs of severe adrenal failure in early infancy and 46,XY genetic males are phenotypic females...

During childhood, the main aims of the medical treatment of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) secondary to 21-hydroxylase are to prevent salt loss and virilization and to attain normal stature and normal puberty. As such, there is a narrow therapeutic window through which the intended results can be achieved. In adulthood, the clinical management has received little attention, but recent stu...

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia consists of a heterogenous group of inherited disorders due to enzymatic defects in the biosynthetic pathway of cortisol and/or aldosterone. This results in glucocorticoid deficiency, mineralocorticoid deficiency, and androgen excess. 95% of CAH cases are due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Clinical forms range from the severe, classical CAH associated with complete...

Following the introduction of life-saving glucocorticoid replacement 60 years ago, congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) has evolved from being perceived as a paediatric disorder to being recognized as a lifelong, chronic condition affecting patients of all age groups. Increasing evidence suggests that patients with CAH have an increased risk to develop health problems during adult life, with si...

The most frequent form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency, accounting for more than 90% of cases. Affected patients cannot synthesize cortisol efficiently. Thus the adrenal cortex is stimulated by corticotropin (ACTH) and overproduces cortisol precursors. Some precursors are diverted to sex hormone biosynthesis, causing signs of androgen excess includin...