• Epidemiology: predominantly affects small children and asplenic individuals
• Description: acute primary insufficiency of the adrenal gland most commonly caused by adrenal hemorrhage
  • Dangerous complication of a number of diseases but most commonly associated with meningococcal meningitis
• Pathophysiology: coagulopathy triggered by endotoxins, which often leads to hemorrhagic necrosis of the adrenal glands
• Clinical features
  • Fever
  • Myalgia
  • Nonblanching, petechial rash
  • Hypotension or even shock
  • Findings of disseminated intravascular coagulation
  • Findings of acute adrenal gland failure