Endocrine Hormone Abnormalities in Amanita Poisoning

Abstract

Mushroom poisoning from the genus Amanita is being reported with increasing frequency in the United States. Endocrine hormone abnormalities were investigated in four patients who ingested mushrooms of the Amanita genus (“death cap”, “destroying angel”). Marked abnormalities were found in the hormones controlling glucose, calcium, and thyroid homeostasis. Insulin and C-peptide concentrations were elevated at admission, indicating that the hypoglycemia associated with Amanita poisoning may not be solely secondary to hepatic failure. Serum calcitonin concentrations were elevated in conjunction with hypocalcemia. Parathyroid hormone concentrations (both the carboxyl- and amino-terminal assays) increased with time, but began returning to baseline as the hypocalcemia disappeared. The thyroxine concentrations were depressed in all four patients, and triiodothyronine (T₃) concentrations were undetectable in three patients. Thyroid-stimulating hormone concentrations were never elevated, reflecting an unresponsive pituitary-hypothalamic axis to the development of hypothyroidism or a euthyroid-illness syndrome.