A correlative study between cortisol and ACTH in Cushing's disease following bilateral adrenalectomy and in Nelson's syndrome
Kasperlik-Załuska, A.; Niegowska, E.; Migdalska, B.; Jeske, W.; Zieliński, M.
Endokrynologia Polska 43(3): 314-321
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0423-104X PMID: 1345571 Document Number: 403535
Correlation analysis was used to investigate the interrelation between plasma ACTH and serum cortisol concentrations determined at 8:00, 12:00, 16:00 and 22:00 h in 48 patients bilaterally adrenalectomized for Cushing's disease, including 23 patients with a pituitary adenoma (Nelson's syndrome). In the patients without evidence of a pituitary adenoma a significant inverse correlation was found at 8:00, 16:00, 22:00 h and additionally when all the pairs of estimations were analyzed. In a full-blown Nelson's syndrome an inverse correlation was not proved (p = 0.05). During remission in Nelson's syndrome an inverse correlation between cortisol and ACTH concentrations was stated at 8:00 h and after the evaluation of all the pairs of estimations. The results of our studies have shown that exogenous cortisol exerts a partial inhibitory action on ACTH secretion in patients bilaterally adrenalectomized for Cushing's disease. In active Nelson's syndrome this influence is questionable, it comes however into prominence during remission.