Inter-Relations between Adrenocortical Functions and Infectious Illness

Abstract

OVER the past two decades, adrenocortical hormones have been employed as supportive therapy during infections of virtually every kind. Data concerning this controversial area of steroid therapy have been subjected to a number of critical reviews^{1 2 3 4 5} and will not be re-evaluated here. Rather, the present discussion will focus on an unsolved problem of fundamental and continuing importance, "How does normal adrenocortical function serve to protect the host during infection?" That the human host does fare best when his own pituitary-adrenal axis is normally responsive (or when exogenous hormone is given an optimal replacement dose after adrenalectomy) is a conclusion based . . .