V. Adrenal Cortical Function in Patients with Agammaglobulinemia

Abstract

Several observations have suggested the possibility that the abnormalities in patients with this syndrome might be related to abnormal pituitary-adrenal cortical function. Data concerning the numbers of circulating eosiniphils and lymphocytes and the serum concentrations of 17-hydroxycorticosteriods in patients with agammaglobulinemia were collected. Although one patient was completely lacking in circulating eosinophils and lymphocytosis was present in another, no consistent abnormality in the numbers of either lymphocytes or eosinophils was observed. Normal depletion of circulating eosinophils followed intramuscular injection of ACTH in 4 patients with agammaglobulinemia. An increase in 17-hydroxycorticosteroid concentration of normal magnitude occurred in these patients in response to the intramuscular injection of ACTH. The results of these investigations present substantial evidence that the hematological disturbances observed in some of these patients are based on mechanisms other than disturbed adrenal-pituitary function.