title: Isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency secondary to hypothalamic deficit of corticotropin releasing hormone.
abstract: A 42-year-old man and a 51-year-old woman with a positive history of weakness and gastrointestinal complaints were shown to have low basal plasma cortisol and ACTH levels, and low daily urinary excretion of free cortisol. An empty sella was found in patient no. 1, while patient no. 2 was hypothyroid. Both patients showed a normal plasma cortisol response to ACTH and an increment in plasma ACTH and lipotropin levels after ovine CRH (oCRH), lysine vasopressin (LVP) and oCRH-LVP stimulation tests. These studies clearly report an isolated idiopathic ACTH deficiency due to a deficit in CRH in two adult subjects.
authors.affiliation: Cattedra di Endocrinologia, Università di Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Velardo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pantaleoni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zizzo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Del Rio
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Coletta
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carani
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marrama
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000502:physiology; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000328:Adult; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000494:pharmacology; D003677:Deficiency Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D015200:Fluoroimmunoassay; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000502:physiology*; D008236:Lypressin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000502:physiology; D008083:beta-Lipotropin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D008236:Lypressin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D008083:beta-Lipotropin; D006854:Hydrocortisone