Limited adrenal reserve in paracoccidioidomycosis: cortisol and aldosterone responses to 1-24 ACTH.

Adrenal function in twenty-three patients with paracoccidioidomycosis (South American Blastomycosis) has been assessed by measuring the response to adrenocortical stimulation with 1-24 ACTH. Two patients with overt Addison's disease showed very low basal levels and the complete absence of an increase in either cortisol or aldosterone secretion. Six patients showed probable diminished adrenal reserve in terms of cortisol and three patients showed diminished reserve in terms of aldosterone function. These findings indicate an incidence of significant hypoadrenalism in 44% of hospitalized patients with disseminated paracoccidioidomycosis.