title: Adrenocorticotrophic hormone causes an increase in cortisol, but not parathyroid hormone, in dogs.
abstract: Dogs with spontaneous disorders of glucocorticoid production often have marked disturbances in calcium homeostasis. For example, hypercalcaemia is frequently observed in dogs with hypoadrenocorticism and secondary hyperparathyroidism is a common feature of canine hyperadrenocorticism. The mechanism(s) by which glucocorticoids modulate calcium homeostasis in dogs remains ill-defined. The hypothesis of this study is that a marked increase in serum cortisol concentrations would lead to an immediate negative calcium balance state which would drive a compensatory increase in parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations. This hypothesis was investigated by measuring serum cortisol and plasma PTH concentration in 19 dogs before and after administration of adrenocorticotrophic (ACTH) hormone. Post ACTH administration, there was a significant increase in serum cortisol, but not PTH, concentrations. The results of this study do not support the hypothesis that an increase in endogenous glucocorticoids influences calcium balance sufficiently to cause an immediate, compensatory increase in parathyroid hormone concentration.
authors.affiliation: Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Division of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Hospital for Small Animals, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK.
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kilpatrick
authors.affiliation: Roslin Institute, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK.
authors.forename: Adam G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Gow
authors.affiliation: NationWide Specialist Laboratories, Unit 2, Sawston Trading Park, London Road, Pampisford, Sawston, Cambridge CB22 3EE, UK.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Division of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Hospital for Small Animals, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK. Electronic address: Richard.mellanby@ed.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mellanby
mesh_terms: D000308:Adrenocortical Hyperfunction / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000378:metabolism; D004285:Dogs / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D006961:Hyperparathyroidism / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D002118:Calcium; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Adrenocorticotrophic hormone; Cortisol; Dogs; Parathyroid hormone