Steroid Excess Research Articles

Amitriptyline for pain control in scleritis may help to avoid excessive steroid use in selected cases: a case report

IntroductionPain in scleritis may be difficult to control with conventional immuno-suppressive regimes. Amitriptyline may be an effective option in those circumstances.Case presentationA 41-year-old woman presented with scleritis and eye pain that was refractory to treatment with steroid and immunosuppressive agents. Effective pain relief and reduction of steroid dose was only achieved after starting amitriptyline.ConclusionAmitriptyline may be an effective option for pain control in case with scleritis which might otherwise require unnecessarily large doses of immunosuppression.

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia

The congenital adrenal hyperplasias are a group of autosomal recessive disorders associated with impaired steroidogenesis. Several types of the congenital adrenal hyperplasias are associated with decreased cortisol production and excessive adrenal sex steroid secretion. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency is the most common and prototypic example of this group of disorders. Herein, we review the clinical features, pathophysiology, molecular genetics, and treatment of 21-hydroxylase deficiency. There is also a brief discussion of other steroidogenic enzyme defects that are associated with clinical features due to excessive androgen secretion.

Management of adrenal insufficiency during the stress of medical illness and surgery

Patients with adrenal insufficiency (AI) require additional glucocorticoid doses during surgery or medical illness, but there is no universally accepted regimen for glucocorticoid supplementation therapy. The high doses and long duration of glucocorticoid coverage that have traditionally been used do not reflect the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal response to surgical stress and medical illness in normal people. While the optimal dose and duration of supplementation therapy have not been established, our recommendations are based on extrapolation from what constitutes a normal cortisol response to stress, on expert opinion derived from the medical literature, and on clinical experience. The recommended use of lower doses of glucocorticoids during surgical and medical stress should not de-emphasise the importance of additional supplementation during such events. Our recommendations do not replace clinical judgement, but their use will ensure that patients with AI are safely managed during illness or surgery without the risk of an adrenal crisis or excessive steroid dosing.

Prevention programs for body image and eating disorders on University campuses: a review of large, controlled interventions

Body dissatisfaction, dieting, eating disorders and exercise disorders are prevalent among male and female university students worldwide. Male students are also increasingly adopting health-damaging, body-image-related behaviors such as excessive weight lifting, body building and steroid abuse. Given the severity and difficulty of treating eating disorders, prevention of these problems is a recognized public health goal. Health promotion and health education programs have been conducted in the university setting since the mid 1980s, but few have achieved significant improvements in target health attitudes and behaviors. In this paper, 27 large, randomized and controlled health promotion and health education programs to improve body dissatisfaction, dieting and disordered eating and exercise behaviors of male and female college students are reviewed. In general, health education programs to improve body image and prevent eating disorders in the university setting have been limited by small sample sizes and the exclusion of male students. The majority of studies were conducted among either female undergraduate psychology students or women that were recruited using on-campus advertising. The latter reduces the ability to generalize results to the whole university population, or the general community. In addition, there has been a paucity of longitudinal studies that are methodologically sound, as only 82% (22/27) of interventions included in the review used random assignment of groups, and only 52% (n = 14) included follow-up testing. Information-based, cognitive behavioral and psycho-educational approaches have been the least effective at improving body image and eating problems among university students. Successful elements for future initiatives are identified as taking a media literacy- and dissonance-based educational approach, incorporating health education activities that build self-esteem, and using computers and the internet as a delivery medium. A newly designed program for Australian university students is described.

Tumeurs sécrétantes de la corticosurrénale

Adrenocortical tumors are rare and mostly non-secreting; their discovery is incidental. When secreting, they produce steroid excess and result in a clinical presentation such as the Cushing syndrome, primary aldosteronism, virilization or feminization syndrome. Such tumors are mostly sporadic but can belong to hereditary syndromes predisposing to tumors. The diagnosis of secreting adrenocortical tumors is based upon clinical presentation and biological data associated with specific biological assessments. Adrenal imaging has been considerably improved with the development of CT scan, which can be completed by MRI if necessary. Most of adrenocortical tumors are adenoma, nevertheless some of them can be malignant and the prognosis of such carcinomas is poor. Management of secreting adrenocortical tumors requires surgery in most of the cases and laparoscopic access is now widely used and provides good results in the treatment of benign tumors.

Atypical mediastinal lipomatosis

We present an elderly, non-obese male with no significant medical history who presented with dyspnea on exertion. Chest radiography showed an enlarged cardiac silhouette with a retrocardiac shadow of increased lucency, resulting in a "double contour" effect. Transthoracic echocardiography raised the suspicion of a diffuse fatty infiltration in the pericardium severely distorting the left atrium. This was later confirmed on computed tomography of the chest by measuring radiodensity in Hounsfield units. The serum cortisol level ordered later was normal. To the authors' knowledge, this is only the second reported case of mediastinal lipomatosis that occurred in the absence of endogenous or exogenous steroid excess or obesity, with diffuse fatty infiltration, suspected on chest radiography and transthoracic echocardiography and confirmed by computed tomography of the chest.

Balancing act: Excess steroids during pregnancy may pose risks for offspring

Science NewsVolume 171, Issue 12 p. 181-181 This Week Balancing act: Excess steroids during pregnancy may pose risks for offspring Nathan Seppa, Nathan SeppaSearch for more papers by this author Nathan Seppa, Nathan SeppaSearch for more papers by this author First published: 30 September 2009 https://doi.org/10.1002/scin.2007.5591711206AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume171, Issue1224 March 2007Pages 181-181 RelatedInformation

Hypertrichosis as a side effect of inhaled steroids in children

Three spontaneous reports of patients in whom a relationship between hypertrichosis and inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) was suspected, were reported to Lareb, The Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Center. We sought evidence for and against a causal relationship between hypertrichosis and ICS in children. The relationship between hypertrichosis and ICS was studied mathematically by assessing the Reporting Odds Ratio (ROR) and by determining the Naranjo Score (NS). We also studied the reports sent to the Pharmacovigilance Database of the Uppsala Monitoring Centre (UMC) of the WHO and reviewed the literature. In the Dutch children, the ROR between hypertrichosis and ICS was 14.6 (95%CI 3.6-59.5), the NS was 4. In the database of the UMC 20 more reports on hypertrichosis and ICS were found, contributing to the results of the Dutch database. Taken together, 11 boys and 12 girls were involved with a mean age of 7 years (range 1-17). The time between the start of ICS and the occurrence of hypertrichosis varied between 1 month and 3 years. Besides the hypertrichosis, growth retardation was found in 5 children and adrenal suppression in 12. In 12 children the outcome after cessation was reported: in 6 children the hypertrichosis improved, whilst in 6 it did not. We found sufficient evidence to support the suspicion that hypertrichosis might be a true adverse effect of ICS. We found no simple dose-effect relationship but obviously there is an individual susceptibility. After cessation of ICS the exaggerated hair growth will not disappear in all children. Hypertrichosis may be a useful clinical pointer to exogenous steroid excess.

Adrenocortical cancer: pathophysiology and clinical management

Adrenocortical cancer (ACC) is a rare tumor with a poor prognosis. By contrast, benign adrenocortical tumors are frequent, underlying the importance of a correct diagnosis of malignancy of such tumors. ACC can be diagnosed by the investigation of endocrine signs of steroid excess, symptoms due to tumor growth or an adrenal incidentaloma. Hormonal investigations demonstrate in most ACC steroid oversecretion, the dominant characteristics being a co-secretion of cortisol and androgens. Imaging by CT-scan or MRI shows a large heterogeneous tumor with a low fat content. Careful pathological investigation with the assessment of the Weiss score is important for the diagnosis of malignancy. Molecular markers can also be helpful and in the future might be important for prognosis. Tumors localized to the adrenal gland (McFarlane stages 1 and 2) have a better outcome than invasive and metastatic tumors (stages 3 and 4). Tumor removal by a specialized team is crucial for treatment and should always aim at complete removal. In patients with metastatic or progressive disease, medical treatment is started with mitotane that requires a close monitoring of its blood level. Surgery is indicated when possible for local recurrence but also in some cases of metastasis. Local treatment (radiofrequency, chemoembolization, and radiation therapy) can have some indications for metastatic disease. In patients with disease progression cytotoxic chemotherapy can be used. Despite the best care, the overall prognosis of ACC is poor with a 5-year survival rate below 30% in most series. Therefore, progress in the understanding of the pathophysiology of ACC is important. Despite the rarity of ACC, significant advances have been made in the understanding of its pathogenesis the last decade. These progresses came mainly from the study of the genetics of ACC, both at the germline level in rare familial diseases, and at the somatic level by the study of molecular alterations in sporadic tumors. These advances underline the importance of genetic alterations in ACC development and point-out to various chromosomal regions (2, 11p15, 11q, 17p13) and genes (IGF-II, p53, beta-catenin, ACTH receptor). This review will summarize these advances as well as the current clinical management of ACC.

Hyperadrenocorticism Associated with Sex Steroid Excess

Diagnosis of sex steroid excess or hyperadrenocorticism in dogs may be challenging. Unlike Cushing's disease, sex steroid excess may have a multitude of manifestations that differ from standard hyperadrenocorticism. In particular, the clinical scenario of a dog with sex steroid imbalance involves one of three systems: dermatologic, reproductive, or hepatic. The history of a dog with hyperadrenocorticism manifesting as sex steroid imbalance often lacks the classical clinical signs of polydipsia and polyuria. Dogs with sex steroid imbalance will often be of specific breeds such as miniature poodles and exhibit trunkal hair loss as the only sign. There is often involvement of the reproductive system, manifested as the growth of perianal adenomas in neutered male or female dogs. The most common laboratory findings consist of elevations in serum alkaline phosphatase and serum alanine transferase. The following article reviews the etiology, common signalment, clinical signs, and laboratory findings associated with atypical hyperadrenocorticism caused by sex steroid imbalance and then explores the medical, surgical, and radiation treatment options.

Bone disorders in chronic liver disease

Osteomalacia rarely occurs in adult patients with chronic liver disease despite a low serum vitamin D level being reported in up to two-thirds of patients with cirrhosis. In contrast, osteoporosis, which increases the risk of vertebral fractures, occurs in 12%-55% of patients with cirrhosis. Although the prevalence is probably falling, as shown by a fall from 57%-26% in patients with biliary disease requiring liver transplantation over the last 2 decades, it still accounts for significant patient morbidity. Bone density also falls in the first 3 months after liver transplantation, and pretransplant fractures are predictive of posttransplant fractures. Many of the known risk factors for postmenopausal osteoporosis exist in the cirrhotic population, such as excess alcohol intake, steroid use, poor nutrition, and hypogonadism. There is also an increased risk of osteoporosis in patients without cirrhosis, particularly those with hemochromatosis and biliary disease. The diagnosis is made with bone density measurements. The effective treatment is largely based on evidence from postmenopausal osteoporosis as there have been only a few small clinical trials of patients with chronic liver disease. Bisphosphonates are the mainstay of treatment; they have been shown to be effective in biliary disease and are well tolerated.

REDUCED LUNG VOLUMES IN A RARE CASE OF CUSHING SYNDROME DUE TO THYMIC CARCINOID OF THE LUNG

INTRODUCTION: Exogenous steroid therapy may cause respiratory muscle weakness. Although prolonged endogenous excess of steroids in Cushing's Syndrome (CS) may causes severe weakness in the limb muscles, the respiratory muscle strength and pulmonary functions are usually spared (1). We report a case of reduced lung volumes associated with ectopic adrenocorticotrpic hormone (ACTH) secretion due to thymic carcinoid of the lung.

Developmental programming in sheep: Administration of testosterone during 60–90 days of pregnancy reduces breeding success and pregnancy outcome

Evidence suggests that exposure to excess steroids during critical periods of fetal development leads to reproductive disorders. Exposure of female lambs to excess testosterone (T) from Days 60 to 90 of gestation (T60–90; term, 147 days) delayed onset of the LH surge and resulted in to male-typical reproductive behavior. The objectives of this study were to test the ability of T60–90 ewes to mate, conceive and lamb during the first three breeding seasons (Years 1, 2 and 3). Pregnant Suffolk ewes were injected with T propionate in cottonseed oil (100 mg, im twice weekly) or vehicle (control; C) from Days 60 to 90 of gestation. In Year 1, ewes (C = 12, T60–90 = 12) were kept with a vasectomized ram for 3 months and markings/visual observation of copulations were recorded. Rams had paint applied to their chest to facilitate detection of estrus and mating. All C but only three T60–90 ewes were marked ( P < 0.001). All ewes were then estrus-synchronized with two injections of prostaglandin F2α (20 mg, im) given 11 days apart and allowed to mate with a painted, fertile ram. Nine of 12 C and 4 of 12 T60–90 ewes ( P = 0.1) were mated. Based on estrus and long-term monitoring of progesterone, more C than T60–90 became pregnant (82 and 18%, respectively; P < 0.01). In Year 2, to maximize ram exposure, two C and two T60–90 estrus-synchronized ewes were placed with a painted, fertile ram at a time and mated ewes were removed to a nearby pen to force mating with others. Twenty-four hour video monitoring revealed the rams mated more C than T60–90 ewes (83 and 25%, respectively; P = 0.01). In both Years 1 and 2, the rams preferred C over T60–90 ewes; therefore in Year 3 rams were given access only to T60–90 ewes. Only four T60–90 estrus-synchronized ewes were placed with a painted ram at a time. Not given an option, 91% of the T60–90 ewes were marked resulting in 4 of 11 (36%; first-service pregnancy rate in the breeding herd was 91%) ewes becoming pregnant to the synchronized estrus. Collectively these studies showed that fertility in T60–90 females was severely compromised, even after overcoming ram preference for controls.

Transient insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in children with steroid-dependent idiopathic nephrotic syndrome during tacrolimus treatment

Despite the availability of immunosuppressive drugs such as prednisone, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine A (CyA) and mycophenolate mofetil for the treatment of steroid-dependent idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (SDNS), medication-free remission is not achieved in a number of patients. To avoid excessive steroid toxicity, the use of tacrolimus (Tac) has been discussed. We report on five children diagnosed with SDNS on the histological basis of minimal change glomerulopathy or focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Following the failure of other medications to achieve sustained remission, Tac was administered to these patients who varied in age from 10.5 to 13.5 years. Only one patient showed a substantial reduction in the number of relapses with the Tac treatment. Two boys, after 9 and 44 months on therapy, respectively, developed insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), necessitating the withdrawal of Tac and the daily use of insulin for 3 and 6 months. In both patients hyperglycemia had occurred during prednisone-based relapse therapy of SDNS. The patients had low serum protein concentrations, presumably increasing the free active Tac fraction, while trough levels of the drug remained unchanged. Both of the affected patients had additional risk factors for impaired glucose tolerance, such as morbid obesity (patient 1; BMI: 41.6 kg/m(2)) and African American origin (patient 2). Our case reports demonstrate that the use of Tac in patients with SDNS may be associated with an increased risk for IDDM, especially during relapse of NS, and particularly if additional risk factors are present. Moreover, Tac does not appear to substantially increase the success of treatment.

Coexistence of three distinct adrenal tumors in the same adrenal gland in a patient with primary aldosteronism and preclinical Cushing's syndrome

A 62-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of hypokalemia. Physical examination revealed no signs of excessive adrenocortical steroid production, as are found in Cushing's syndrome. Her plasma renin activity (PRA) was suppressed (0.10 ng/ml per h), and her serum aldosterone level was high (30.0 ng/dl). PRA was not increased after a renin-releasing test. Her plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) level was low (<5 pg/ml), but her serum cortisol level was normal (21.0 microg/dl). Administration of 8 mg dexamethasone did not suppress her plasma cortisol level. Finally, she was diagnosed with clinical primary aldosteronism associated with preclinical Cushing's syndrome. Magnetic resonance image revealed three sequential nodular masses (each 15 mm x 15 mm) in the right adrenal gland. A right adrenalectomy was performed by endoscopy. The three removed tumors appeared to have different characteristics. Microscopic examination revealed that the upper and lower tumors were adrenocortical adenomas, and the middle tumor was a black adenoma. Immunohistochemical staining for the enzymes involved in cortisol biosynthesis suggested that the upper tumor secreted aldosterone, whereas either or both of the two other tumors secreted cortisol. Surprisingly, at 33 years of age, she had been diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome, due to a cortisol-producing adrenocortical adenoma, and she had received a left adrenalectomy. Clinically and pathophysiologically, this was a very rare case.

Adrenocortical Carcinoma - Improving Patient Care by Establishing New Structures

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare and highly malignant tumour with a poor prognosis. Patients present with signs of steroid hormone excess (e.g., Cushing's syndrome) or symptoms due to an abdominal mass. In case of an adrenal mass, hormonal workup before surgery is required for differential diagnosis, perioperative management, and for follow-up. The imaging of choice is CT or MRI with MRI being of additional use when invasion of big vessels is suspected. Apart from that, the use of 18-FDG-PET is becoming increasingly established. Surgical resection is the therapeutic option of choice in stages 1 - 3. In stage 4, the adrenolytic compound mitotane is part of the first-line treatment, but often needs to be combined with cytotoxic chemotherapy. Most patients will eventually have a recurrence, so adjuvant treatment (mitotane/tumour bed radiation) has to be considered in high risk patients, even if randomized controlled trials on adjuvant treatment are still lacking. STRUCTURAL PROGRESS: Several national and European structures have recently been established in order to increase our knowledge of ACC, improve therapeutic options and diagnostic procedures, and promote research. GANIMED, as a Germany-wide network of experts on adrenal diseases, has been founded allowing for improved gathering of data and joint studies. ENSAT (European Network for the Study of Adrenal Tumours) has been brought to life, aiming at European standards for therapy, diagnosis and tumour banking. Since 2003, patients can be enrolled in the German ACC Registry. France and Italy have also developed a central registry to collect nationwide data from patients with ACC. For the first time, patients with metastatic/unresectable ACC can participate in a prospective controlled randomized trial comparing two different cytotoxic chemotherapy regimes (FIRM-ACT).

A Case of Adrenocortical Carcinoma showing Variable Cortisol Production during the Clinical Course

Patients with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) present with evidence of excessive adrenal steroid hormone in approximately 60% of cases, in which rapidly progressing Cushing's syndrome with or without virilization is the most frequent presentation. Some patients experience an increase or a decline in cortisol production through the progression of their ACC. We report on an unusual case of a cortisol-producing ACC, and the patient presented with a decline in cortisol production, followed by an increase in cortisol production, through the progression of the tumor. A 65-year-old woman who manifested with facial edema and weight gain was diagnosed with Cushing's syndrome, caused by cortisol producing ACC. The patient was treated with adrenalectomy. However, 8 months later, a metastatic hepatic tumor of recurred ACC was detected. At that time, the hormonal evaluation revealed that the liver mass did not produce any hormones. The patient was treated with metastatectomy. Four months later, a relapsed tumor was detected. Increased cortisol production was observed at that time. We speculate there was a change in the clonal dominance within the ACC and this change might cause such a difference. This is the first case report of ACC that showed variable hormone production during progression. (J Kor Endocrinol Soc 21:419~423, 2006)

Molecular genetics of adrenocortical tumours, from familial to sporadic diseases

Adrenal masses can be detected in up to 4% of the population, and are mostly of adrenocortical origin. Adrenocortical tumours (ACTs) may be responsible for excess steroid production and, in the case of adrenocortical cancers, for morbidity or mortality due to tumour growth. Our understanding of the pathogenesis of ACTs is more limited than that for other tumours. However, studies of the genetics of ACTs have led to major advances in this field in the last decade. The identification of germline molecular defects in the hereditary syndrome responsible for ACTs has facilitated progress. Indeed, similar molecular defects have since been identified as somatic alterations in sporadic tumours. The familial diseases concerned are Li-Fraumeni syndrome, which may be due to germline mutation of the tumour-suppressor gene TP53 and Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, which is caused by dys-regulation of the imprinted IGF-II locus at 11p15. ACTs also occur in type 1 multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN 1), which is characterized by a germline mutation of the menin gene. Cushing's syndrome due to primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD) has been observed in Carney complex patients presenting inactivating germline PRKAR1A mutations. Interestingly, allelic losses at 17p13 and 11p15 have been demonstrated in sporadic adrenocortical cancer and somatic PRKAR1A mutations have been found in secreting adrenocortical adenomas. More rarely, mutations in Gs protein (gsp) and the gene for ACTH receptor have been observed in ACTs. The genetics of another group of adrenal diseases that can lead to adrenal nodular hyperplasia -- congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and glucocorticoid-remediable aldosteronism (GRA) -- have also been studied extensively. This review summarizes recent advances in the genetics of ACTs, highlighting both improvements in our understanding of the pathophysiology and the diagnosis of these tumours.

Specific binding of 4-hydroxyestradiol to mouse uterine protein: evidence of a physiological role for 4-hydroxyestradiol

There are several indications of a possible physiological role for 4-hydroxyestradiol (4-OHE(2)) in hormone-responsive tissues. To examine a hormonal activity of 4-OHE(2), we have studied the binding of (3)H-labeled 4-OHE(2) to mouse uterine cytosolic protein. In uteri of 3-week-old mice, total binding was 319.4 +/- 13.9 fmol/mg protein. Binding in the presence of excess unlabeled 4-OHE(2) dropped to 82.1 +/- 1.7 fmol/mg protein, whereas 214.6 +/- 9.4 fmol/mg protein bound while incubating in an excess of unlabeled 17beta-estradiol (E(2)). The difference between the two binding values in the presence of excess steroid (132.5 +/- 11.1 fmol/mg protein) is taken as selective binding of 4-OHE(2) to a specific protein. In mice older than 4 weeks, the specific 4-OHE(2) binding declined: 32.0 +/- 4.0 fmol/mg protein at 8 weeks, 54.8 +/- 6.3 fmol/mg protein at 12 weeks and 54.6 +/- 5.2 fmol/mg protein at 9 months. Of other organs tested (liver, kidney, lung and whole brain) only lung showed significant selective binding of 4-OHE(2). When E(2)-binding sites are blocked, binding follows first-order kinetics, yielding a dissociation constant (K(d)) value of 11.8 +/- 2.1 nM. The specific binding of 4-OHE(2) was not inhibited by any other steroids or estrogen metabolites that were tested, except for 2-hydroxyestradiol (2-OHE(2)), which displayed competitive inhibition of 4-OHE(2) binding with an inhibition constant (K(i)) value of 98.2 +/- 12.6 nM. These results lead us to conclude that 4-OHE(2) binds to a specific binding protein, distinct and different from binding to estrogen receptors (ERalpha and ERbeta). The physiological role of this binding remains to be elucidated.

Excessive Use of Steroid Hormone &amp; Beneficial Effects of True ST. 36 Acupuncture on Malignant Brain Tumors -- Part I ; How to Estimate Non-Invasively Presence of Excess Dose of Steroid Hormone in Patients, Baseball Players &amp; Other Professional Athletes from its Toxic Effects on Heart &amp; Pancreas, as well as Persistent or Recurrent Infection -- Part II

Using accurate organ representation areas map of the face, originally mapped by the author using Bi-Digital O-Ring Test Resonance Phenomena between two identical substances, one can make quick non-invasive screening of diseases by visual inspection, particularly if it is chronic degenerative disease, as they often develop deep crease or creases or discoloration on the pathological organ representation area. However, even if there are no visible abnormalities in the organ representation areas, the author found that when the individual is using excessive Steroid Hormones for malignant brain tumors, other medical purposes, and competitive sports, not only did the left ventricle and pancreas become very abnormal when examined by the Bi-Digital O-Ring Test, and Steroid Hormone accumulate in these organs with abnormally increased 8-OH-dG & TXB2, and Folic Acid & Telomere markedly reduce, but also the organ representation areas of the pancreas and left ventricle on the face showed similar abnormalities. Thus, using the Bi-Digital O-Ring Test, one can quickly and non-invasively screen the Steroid Hormone induced abnormalities of the heart and pancreas, and their organ representation areas of various parts of the body, including the face, tongue, ears, hands and feet. For malignant tumors including brain tumors, acupuncture on True ST. 36 or ST. 37 was found to be highly beneficial by reducing cancer cell telomere to practically 0, while increasing normal cell telomere moderately. The author's study over the past 15 years indicates that photographs of the human body, including pictures that appear in newspapers and magazines, have almost identical information as the information taken directly from the body surfaces of patients or individual athletes. Some examples of the application of this principle for the noninvasive estimation of the presence of Steroid Hormones using a photograph of the individual receiving the Steroid Hormone for medical reasons, or for the purpose of gaining an advantage in competitive sports, are shown in this article. While excessive Steroid Hormone use damages the heart and pancreas and hides symptoms of infection, additional use of Vitamin C also inhibits antibiotics and antiviral agents and cannot control severe infection, as suspected in the cases of late Pope John Paul II and late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.