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Along with all of you, NADF is monitoring this outbreak by paying close attention to CDC and FDA updates. We have also asked our Medical Advisor to help answer your important questions as they come up.

We asked Medical Director Paul Margulies, MD, FACE, FACP to help us with this question:

Question: Does Adrenal Insufficiency cause us to have a weakened immune system and therefore make us more susceptible?

Response: Individuals with adrenal insufficiency on replacement doses of glucocorticoids do not have a suppressed immune system. The autoimmune mechanism that causes Addison’s disease does not cause an immune deficiency that would make one more likely to get an infection. The problem is with the individual’s ability to deal with the stress of an infection once it develops. Those with adrenal insufficiency fall into that category. When sick with a viral infection, they can have a more serious illness, and certainly require stress dose steroids to help to respond to the illness. If someone with adrenal insufficiency contracts the coronavirus, it is more likely to lead to the need for supportive care, including hospitalization.

This information from the CDC Website provides important information regarding Prevention & Treatment.  You can find this information here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/prevention-treatment.html

From https://www.nadf.us/

Filed under: General Health, Health Care, Rare Diseases | Tagged: adrenal insufficiency, Coronavirus, COVID-19 |