Replacement doses of corticosteroids are thought to improve mortality and duration of shock in patients with septic shock who showed a blunted adrenocortical response to the ACTH stimulation test.[65] Cortisol levels are low in a subgroup of patients with septic shock, and a blunted cortisol response to ACTH stimulation is associated with poor prognosis.[66] In contrast, cortisol levels are high in DHF during both the acute and convalescent phases.[67] A correlation between cortisol levels and prognosis in dengue has not been studied. Here, POMC is linked to dengue disease.