Case report
A variant of adrenomyeloneuropathy with hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction and neurologic remission after glucocorticoid replacement therapy

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Abstract

Adrenomyeloneuropathy is a syndrome comprising spastic paraparesis, polyneuropathy, primary adrenocortical insufficiency and variable hypogonadism. We describe a 32 year old man who presented with contractures, peripheral neuropathy, primary adrenocortical insufficiency and secondary hypogonadism. Abnormal responses of growth hormone, gonadotropins, prolactin and thyrotropin to provocative stimuli were found, without radiographic evidence of a pituitary or hypothalamic lesion. Almost complete recovery from the neurologic abnormalities occurred with glucocorticoid replacement therapy. The clinical features of this patient support a diagnosis of adrenomyeloneuropathy. The hypothalamic-pituitary dysfunction extends the clinical spectrum of this disease. Remission of the paraparesis coincident with glucocorticoid replacement has not been reported previously.

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This work was supported in part by the Veterans Administration.

Present address: Department of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06510.

1

From the Department of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, and the Medical Service, Veterans Administration Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York.

Present address: Veterans Administration Medical Center, 30th and Euclid Streets, Des Moines, Iowa 50370.

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