Combined corticosteroid and catecholamine stimulation of aqueous humor flow.
OBJECTIVE
Epinephrine is known to stimulate aqueous humor flow in humans. Corticosteroids are known to augment the effect of beta-adrenergic agonists on the ciliary body. This experiment was carried out to determine whether a corticosteroid can increase the stimulatory effect of epinephrine on aqueous humor flow.


METHODS
Twenty human volunteers were studied for 24 hours. Hydrocortisone was given orally and epinephrine was given intravenously during sleep while aqueous flow was monitored. Flow was compared with a second 24-hour study when oral and intravenous placebos were given. The sequence of administration was randomized. Subjects and investigators were masked. The flows also were compared with a previously published study in which the same dose of epinephrine was administered without steroid.


RESULTS
Epinephrine plus hydrocortisone compared with placebos increased aqueous flow 42% in subjects during sleep. The combination of epinephrine and hydrocortisone was a more potent stimulus to aqueous flow than epinephrine alone, which increased aqueous flow by only 27% (P = 0.045).


CONCLUSIONS
The two major hormones of the adrenal gland work in concert to increase the rate of aqueous humor flow in humans.
Jacob
E
E
Mayo Medical School, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
FitzSimon
J S
JS
Brubaker
R F
RF
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002924:Ciliary Body / Q000187:drug effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D015590:Fluorophotometry; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D004837:Epinephrine