OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING THE CLINICAL AND METABOLIC EFFECTS OF CORTICOSTERONE (COMPOUND B) IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS 1

Abstract

Oral admn. of 300 mgs. of corticosterone, daily, for 8 days, to a 34 year old male with active rheumatoid arthritis resulted in no subjective or objective improvement. Mineral and N balance studies revealed marked Na and chloride retention during the admn. of the hormone, but no significant changes in Ca or N excretion. K retention occurred, but it is doubted that it was a hormone effect. Corticosterone did not influence glucose tolerance or 17-ketosteroid excretion. Although still larger doses of corticosterone might result in an antirheumatic effect, cumulative evidence suggests that only corticosteroids, with active groups at both the C 11 and 17 positions, possess this property.