ECE2018 Poster Presentations: Adrenal and Neuroendocrine Tumours Adrenal cortex (to include Cushing's) (70 abstracts)
1Addisons Disease Self Help, London, UK; 2The London Clinic, London, UK.
We examined online questionnaire responses received Dec 2017 Jan 2018 from a sample of well-informed adrenal patients belonging to the Addisons Disease Self-Help Group (N=374). ADSHG members reported levels of preparedness to self-manage during adrenal emergencies that were strikingly higher than any UK clinic survey.
88% reported wearing medical jewellery
80% had an in-date injection kit with them at the time of their most recent adrenal emergency
74% carried an ADSHG emergency steroid alert card
Familiarity with injection method was disappointingly low even in this expert patient cohort.
40% had viewed the ADSHGs online injection demonstration videos
36% had received 1- 1 injection training from an endocrine nurse
22% had received 1-1 injection training from a GP or practice nurse
15% had practiced injection method at an ADSHG group meeting
Educational materials launched by ADSHG since its previous member survey in 2013 appear to have made only a modest, positive contribution to patient competence in injection method (Table 1). These findings emphasize that endocrine units could do more to address patient safety. Ensuring all steroid-dependent patients are well-equipped and trained in how to survive adrenal crisis requires more systematic attention and resourcing across all clinics.
Who gave injected hydrocortisone for most recent adrenal emergency | 2013 N=300 | 2017 N=160 | P value |
Myself or family member | 36% | 46% | P=0.022 |
Pre-hospital or hospital clinician | 59% | 50% | P=0.027 |