This systematic review analyzed 155 published cases of patients with antiphospholipid syndrome or systemic lupus erythematosus who had adrenal involvement. The data comes from cases reported through March 31, 2026. The study looked at how often adrenal problems appeared and what symptoms were common.
Results showed that 67.1 percent of patients had primary antiphospholipid syndrome. Most cases, 86.3 percent, involved both adrenal glands. A large share, 73.6 percent, experienced adrenal insufficiency as their first sign of trouble. Many patients also had low blood pressure, low sodium, or high potassium levels.
About 60 percent of the cases involved catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome. The authors note that using precise medical terms helps doctors distinguish between different types of adrenal injury. This distinction is important because it ensures patients receive urgent endocrine rescue and proper evaluation for systemic blood clots. Readers should understand that this review describes patterns seen in published reports rather than proving a specific cause for these conditions.