Taste and Smell Disturbances Associated With Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND

Adrenal insufficiency often presents with nonspecific symptoms, impeding early diagnosis. Taste and smell disturbances are rarely recognized as presenting features.

CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 54-year-old man with a 3-month history of persistent taste and smell disturbances accompanied by fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, and diffuse body pain, including thigh stiffness. Endocrine evaluation with stimulation tests revealed markedly low levels of cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone, leading to a diagnosis of secondary adrenal insufficiency. After glucocorticoid replacement therapy, taste and smell disturbances gradually improved.

CONCLUSION

Clinicians should consider adrenal insufficiency in patients presenting with unexplained sensory disturbances, particularly when accompanied by systemic symptoms such as fatigue, anorexia, or weight loss.