Aldosterone response to sodium restriction and ACTH stimulation in panhypopituitarism.

Abstract

ABSTRACT The response of aldosterone secretion to chronic and acute stimulation was studied in 17 hypopituitary subjects and 6 subjects who had been treated with pharmacologic doses of glucocorticoids for 2–5 yr. Two stimulatory procedures were used: sodium restriction and ACTH infusion. The steroid treated group had aldosterone responses to the 2 stimuli similar to normal subjects previously studied. However, the hypopituitary group had several abnormalities. 1) Fifteen of 17 subjects failed to show a significant increase in aldosterone secretion on the first day of ACTH infusion in contrast to the normal and steroid suppressed subjects. However, the mean 17-hydroxycorticoid response to ACTH was similar to the steroid suppressed group. 2) Eleven of the aforementioned 15 subjects failed to achieve low sodium balance by the fifth study day in contrast to the normal and steroid suppressed groups. 3) In 5 of these 11 studies, a normal aldosterone secretion rate was not achieved even with extended sodium rest...