ABSTRACT
Most patients in intensive care units (ICU) with thyroid or parathyroid disorders do not have an endocrine abnormality as their primary problem. Indeed, most endocrine hormonal derangements observed in the ICU may be attributed to primary, nonendocrine illness(es) that promote a secondary adaptation in hormonal levels. The converse is also true; primary endocrine problems modulate a patient’s response to nonendocrine illness. Trauma, in particular, is a global disorder, and the clinical course of individuals recovering from trauma is directly related to their pretraumatic state. Because the endocrine system plays such an important role in a patient’s premorbid homeostasis, endocrine dysfunction places the trauma victim at greater risk for morbidity and mortality.
