Interrelationships of Circulating Maternal Steroid Concentrations in Third Trimester Pregnancies. III. Effect of Intravenous Cortisol Infusion on Maternal Concentrations of Estriol, 16α-Hydroxyprogesterone, 17α-Hydroxyprogesterone, Progesterone, 20α-Dihydroprogesterone, Δ5-Pregnenolone, Δ5-Pregnenolone Sulfate, Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate, and Cortisol

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Abstract
The effect of a large dose (1000 mg) of iv cortisolhemisuccinate on circulating steroid concentrations in five women, 28–34 weeks gestational age, is reported. Maternal concentrations of estriol, 16α-hydroxyprogesterone, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, progesterone, 20α-dihydroprogesterone, △5-pregnenolone, △5-pregnenolone sulfate, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and cortisol were measured by RIA before and at 8 and 12 h after iv cortisol infusions at 0 and 8 h. Data were evaluated by repeated measure analysis of variance. Estriol and 17α-hydroxyprogesterone suppressed initially (P ¼ 0.05) and suppressed further with retreatment and increased treatment time (P ¼ 0.05). Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and progesterone suppressed initially (P 0.05) but did not suppress further with retreatment and increased treatment time (P > 0.05). △5-Pregnenolone and △5-pregnenolone sulfate increased initially (P ¼ 0.05) but did not increase further (P > 0.05). Concentrations of 16α-hydroxyprogesterone and 20α-dihydroprogesterone were unchanged by cortisol infusion initially (P > 0.1) and with retreatment and increased treatment time (P > 0.1).