OBSERVATIONS ON URINARY AND PLASMA CORTICOID LEVELS IN HYPERTHYROIDISM DURING BASAL CONDITIONS AND DURING THE ADMINISTRATION OF CORTICOTROPHIN

Abstract

The mean excretion of urinary 17-hydroxycorticoids was 11.3 mg/24 hours in 32 hyperthyroid patients and 6.7 mg/24 hrs. in 24 control subjects; the mean excretion of 17-ketogenic steroids was 14.7 mg/24 hours and 10.2 mg/24 hours in the respective groups. The mean corticoid excretion during the administration of corticotropin was also higher in hyperthyroid patients than in the control group. A definite decrease of the elevated urinary corticoid values was seen after treatment as soon as an euthyroid state was reached in the previously hyperthyroid patients. Since many patients had, however, corticoid excretion values within the normal range, it was not possible to establish any correlation between the severity of the hyperthyroid state and the corticoid excretion. The response of plasma 17-hydroxy-corticoids to intravenous infusion of corticotropin was lower in hyperthyroid patients than in control subjects.