Adrenal function following ACTH therapy for infantile spasms: A retrospective study

Abstract

Objective: To determine if treatment with ACTH for infantile spasms (IS) is associated with secondary adrenal insufficiency.

Patients and methods: This is a retrospective study of patients diagnosed with infantile spasms and treated with ACTH between 2007 and 2018 at Soroka University Medical Center (SUMC). We reviewed the records of patients who had a post-hormonal laboratory assessment of their adrenal function; either a low dose ACTH test or a random morning cortisol level and looked for laboratory or clinical signs of adrenal insufficiency.

Results: Between the years 2007 and 2018, 45 children were diagnosed with IS at our Pediatric Neurology Unit, 20 patients were treated with ACTH, of them 14 children met the inclusion criteria and had a post-treatment laboratory assessment of adrenal function by low dose ACTH test or morning cortisol level. Five children had a normal low dose ACTH test, two had normal morning cortisol level, five were not conclusive, and two had subnormal levels of cortisol. None of the children showed clinical signs of adrenal insufficiency.

Conclusion: Our study adds to the limited literature on this topic and in contrast to previous publications suggests that adrenal suppression should not occur after ACTH treatment.

Keywords: ACTH; Adrenal suppression; Hormonal therapy; Infantile spasms; West syndrome.