Medical Laboratory and Biomedical Science: Reduced Cortisol Metabolism during Critical Illness

Critical illness is often accompanied by hypercortisolemia, which has been attributed to stress-induced activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. However, low corticotropin levels have also been reported in critically ill patients, which may be due to reduced cortisol metabolism.

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Reduced Cortisol Metabolism during Critical Illness