title: Effects of ACTH on plasma levels of adrenal steroids in essential hypertension.
abstract: Plasma concentrations of progesterone (P), deoxycorticosterone (DOC), 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OH P), corticosterone (B), deoxycortisol (S), cortisol (F) and aldosterone (A) in 8 control subjects (mean age: 40.5 years) and 10 patients with essential hypertension (EH) (mean age: 48.5 years) were determined before, 4 and 8 hours after an infusion of ACTH at a rate of 25 units per 8 hours. Secretion rates (SR) of 18-hydroxy-11-deoxycorticosterone (18-OH DOC) were measured 24 hours before and again on the day of ACTH infusion. All subjects were studied on the fourth day of a diet containing 135 mEq of sodium and 90 mEq of potassium. There was no statistically significant difference between 8 control subjects and 10 patients with EH in the 7 plasma steroid levels and the SR of 18-OH DOC before ACTH infusion. The mean plasma P response to ACTH was slightly lower in controls than in patients with EH, while that of 17-OH P (in male subjects) was slightly higher. The mean plasma B response was significantly lower after 4 hours of ACTH infusion (p less than 0.01), while that of DOC was significantly higher after 8 hours of ACTH infusion (p less than 0.05) in patients with EH. The mean plasma S rose significantly more in patients with EH (p less than 0.025) at 4 and 8 hours after ACTH infusion. The mean plasma F response to ACTH infusion was slightly lower in patients with EH than in controls. The mean response of 18-OH DOC SR to ACTH infusion was slightly higher in patients with EH than in controls. The mean plasma A response was significantly higher in patients with EH than in controls 4 (p less than 0.05) and 8 hour (p less than 0.001) after an ACTH infusion. These results could be explained in part by abnormalities in the 17- and 11-hydroxylase systems, and that the abnormality in 11-hydroxylation was more pronounced than that in the 17-position. Furthermore, we suspect that the sensitivity of adrenal aldosterone to ACTH might be increased or another accelerated pathway to aldosterone biosynthesis might exist in patients with EH.
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D000328:Adult; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D003900:Desoxycorticosterone / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones / Q000097:blood; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D006908:Hydroxyprogesterones; D003900:Desoxycorticosterone; D000450:Aldosterone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium; D003345:Corticosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone