These two glands release hormones that help maintain normal body functions.
Symptoms of CAH vary based on the bang out of CAH present.
While there are many grades of CAH severity, they all involve excessandrogens(male sex hormones liketestosterone).
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Up to 95% of CAH cases involve a 21-hydroxylase deficiency, a key enzyme for normal hormone levels.
This article describes CAH symptoms by subtype and how signs can differ by age of onset.
It also explains symptoms' short-term and long-term effects and how to manage them.
Your age, sex, and which hormone levels are deficient or excess also impact symptoms.
This interferes with your body’s ability to retainsodium(salt).
As a result, too much salt is “wasted” or lost in the urine.
Left untreated, the condition can be life-threatening.
It can affect children as young as 2 or 3 years of age.
This can occur when there is not enough cortisol in your body.
Symptoms may be so mild in some people that they never know they have the condition.
Signs of CAH are only present in newborns with classic CAH.
Abnormal genital characteristics typically do not exist in newborns with nonclassic CAH.
Newborn screening measures blood serum levels of a substance called morning 17-hydroxyprogesterone(17O-HP).
This substance accumulates when low levels of cortisol exist.
A blood test with high levels of 17-OHP indicates the possibility of 21-hydroxylase deficiency, a cause of CAH.
High levels of 17-OHP in a newborn screening are not conclusive for a diagnosis of CAH.
A wide range of diagnostic tests are used to gather information on the following biomarkers of CAH.
Genetic testscan identify the presence or absence of a gene mutation that produces the enzyme 12-hydroxylase.
Urine testscan measure the levels of sodium and potassium being eliminated.
Newborns with CAH eliminate more sodium and less potassium than normal levels.
These effects may be due to the disease or the steroid treatments used to manage the disease.
Treatment for CAH involves securing proper hormone levels and enabling normal growth, sexual development, and sexual function.
Depending on your symptoms, this may include surgery to correct genital or urinary problems.
Having CAH can involve many types of social and mental health challenges, including depression and anxiety.
CAH is a lifelong condition.
Many people benefit from the support of working with other individuals and families affected by CAH.
Talk to your healthcare provider about resources in your community.
This causes an excess of testosterone and a lack of cortisol.
The two main types of CAH are classic and nonclassic.
The most severe form involves classic CAH, which is present at birth.
Without treatment, it can pose a grave medical risk.
However, nonclassic CAH, the most common form, involves mild symptoms that are not life-threatening.
With early diagnosis and proper treatment, people with all forms of CAH can live long and healthy lives.
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