A study on physiological changes in essential hypertension and rheumatoid arthritis with reference to the levels of cortisol, blood glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol.
The levels of plasma cortisol, blood glucose, serum triglycerides (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) were estimated in 175 human subjects (50 normal controls, 65 having essential hypertension and 60 suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. The results showed a significant elevation in the levels of plasma cortisol and blood glucose in both the stressed clinical groups with respect to controls. Increased levels of atherogenic lipids (TG and TC) were also observed in diseased group. However, in rheumatoid arthritis the biochemical changes were comparatively more pronounced than in hypertensives. The findings in vitro reveal that rheumatoid arthritis is a relatively more chronic and late onset disorder, since the functional performance of hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis declines with chronicity and the efficacy of adrenocortical response to return to normalcy becomes impaired.
Mishra
K K
KK
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.
Pandey
H P
HP
D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000502:physiology; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology
D001786:Blood Glucose; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; D006854:Hydrocortisone