THE METABOLIC EFFECTS OF ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC HORMONE (ACTH) IN A PATIENT WITH CUSHING'S SYNDROME AND ACROMEGALY*†

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Abstract
INCREASED function of the adrenal cortex in acromegaly has been suggested by the occurrence in this condition of osteoporosis, diabetes, enlarged adrenals and, occasionally, of hypertension, hirsutism and increased adrenal steroid excretion. The simultaneous development of classic Ciishing's syndrome and acromegaly in a patient has offered an unusual opportunity to investigate the relationship of these two endocrine abnormalities. The metabolic studies which were carried out on this patient form the subject of this paper.1 A detailed clinical description of the case has been published elsewhere (1). METHODS The patient was given a constant, low-calcium diet. Duplicate diets were analyzed at intervals throughout the study and the results averaged. Fifty per cent aliquots of each duplicate diet were homogenized and made up to volume. The butter (salt-free) was included to stabilize the homogenate, the volume of solids thus contributed being negligible. Feces were collected in six-day pools, using carmine to mark the last meal of each period. The pools were homogenized and their volumes measured. Aliquots of the diet and stool homogenates were dry-ashed at 440° C. for sodium, potassium and calcium analyses. Aliquots of the homogenates were also taken for nitrogen, phosphorus and chloride analyses, respectively. All analyses were performed in duplicate.