Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia

Abstract

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia is a group of autosomal recessive disorders resulting from the deficiency of one of the enzymes required for cortisol synthesis in the adrenal cortex. The most frequent is steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency, accounting for more than 90 percent of cases. This article discusses the molecular mechanisms, diagnosis, and management of this disease and highlights new developments, including genotype–phenotype correlations, gene-specific prenatal diagnosis, and prenatal therapy.