Quantitative characterization of ACTH and adrenocortical episodic secretion in man: An introduction

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an introduction to quantitative characterization of ACTH and adrenocortical episodic secretion in man. A quantitative characterization of hormonal episodic variations aims at the estimation of the number of secretory episodes over a determined period of time. In a study described in the chapter, blood was sampled simultaneously every 5 min from the vena cava superior and from an antecubital vein, over a total period of 245 min. Plasma cortisol was measured by the radioimmunoassay method. Central and peripheral cortisol patterns were identical. Preliminary analysis of data obtained in normal subjects, using 15-min intervals sampling of peripheral blood for 24 h, showed excellent temporal and quantitative correlations between episodic variations of ACTH, cortisol, 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione, and androstenedione. In 15 nyctohemeral profiles, more than 80% of ACTH secretory bursts were accompanied by cortisol peaks. In three other patterns, more than 75% of secretory episodes of cortisol, 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione, and androstenedione occurred simultaneously. The chapter also describes the correlations between simultaneous peak values of ACTH and cortisol in three normal subjects.