Augmented Excretion of Urine Gonadotrophins During ACTH Administration

Abstract

Augmented excretion of urine pituitary gonadotrophins has been demonstrated in 8 of 9 patients receiving ACTH for the treatment of several clinical entities. In the one exception, the doubling of the control gonadotropin titer could not be attributed directly to the effects of the ACTH. Increases of 2 to 8-fold were observed in the remaining patients. The augmentation appeared to be independent of age and sex, was not proportional to the dose of ACTH, and showed irregularities in time of appearance or persistence. In the patient with hypophyseal calcification, the effect was observed on the second day of therapy only which suggested that normal hypophyseal function was essential for the increased excretion. The known reno-tropic effect of the adrenal steroids was considered the most probable explanation for the observed changes.