Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Metabolic Morbidity in a Longitudinal Study of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

Abstract

Context: Patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) are exposed to hyperandrogenism and supraphysiologic glucocorticoids, both of which can increase risk of metabolic morbidity. Objective: Our aim was to evaluate cardiovascular and metabolic morbidity risk in a longitudinal study of patients with CAH spanning both childhood and adulthood. Design and Setting: Patients with classic CAH followed for a minimum of 5 years during both childhood and adulthood (n†=†57) at the National Institutes of Health were included and compared with the US general population using NHANES data. Main outcome measures: Obesity, hypertension, insulin resistance, fasting hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia. Results: Compared to the US population, patients with CAH had higher (P†<0.001), and insulin resistance (Pâ€