Bilateral adrenal hemorrhage in coronavirus disease 2019 patient: A case report

Abstract

Context: Bilateral adrenal hemorrhage is a rare condition with potentially life-threatening consequences such as acute adrenal insufficiency. Early adrenal axis testing, as well as directed imaging, is crucial for immediate diagnosis and treatment. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with coagulopathy and thromboembolic events. Case description: A 66-year-old woman presented with acute COVID-19 infection and primary adrenal insufficiency due to bilateral adrenal hemorrhage (BAH). She also had a renal vein thrombosis. Her past medical history revealed primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APLS). Four weeks after discharge she had no signs of COVID-19 infection and her polymerase chain reaction test for COVID-19 was negative, but she still needed glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid replacement therapy.The combination of APLS and COVID-19 was probably responsible of the adrenal event as a “two-hit” mechanism. Conclusions: COVID-19 infection is associated with coagulopathy and thromboembolic events, including BAH. Adrenal insufficiency is life threatening; therefore, we suggest that early adrenal axis testing for COVID-19 patients with clinical suspicion of adrenal insufficiency should be carried out.