Which statement best describes Addison's disease manifestations?

Which statement best describes Addison's disease manifestations?

• A. Exophthalmos and goitre
• B. Moon face and buffalo hump
• C. Bronze pigmentation and hypotension
• D. Bronze pigmentation and edema

Answer: (C)

Addison's disease is a primary adrenal insufficiency, so the body lacks both cortisol and aldosterone. The drop in ACTH causes skin darkening, producing bronze pigmentation, while the loss of aldosterone leads to salt wasting, dehydration, and reduced blood volume, which result in low blood pressure or hypotension. This combination—bronze hyperpigmentation with low blood pressure—is the hallmark described. The other descriptions point to different conditions: exophthalmos with goitre is typical of Graves disease; moon face with buffalo hump reflects Cushing syndrome; bronze pigmentation with edema isn’t characteristic of Addison’s because edema isn’t a typical feature of adrenal insufficiency and volume depletion is more common.

Addison's disease is a primary adrenal insufficiency, so the body lacks both cortisol and aldosterone. The drop in ACTH causes skin darkening, producing bronze pigmentation, while the loss of aldosterone leads to salt wasting, dehydration, and reduced blood volume, which result in low blood pressure or hypotension. This combination—bronze hyperpigmentation with low blood pressure—is the hallmark described.

The other descriptions point to different conditions: exophthalmos with goitre is typical of Graves disease; moon face with buffalo hump reflects Cushing syndrome; bronze pigmentation with edema isn’t characteristic of Addison’s because edema isn’t a typical feature of adrenal insufficiency and volume depletion is more common.