ACUTE EFFECTS OF INTRAVENOUS HYDROCORTISONE ON GLUCOSE AND INSULIN TOLERANCES, AND LEVELS OF SERUM AND URINARY INORGANIC PHOSPHORUS

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
INTRODUCTION DRENOCORTICAL hormones directly and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) indirectly will induce hyperglycemia, glycosuria and diabetic-like glucose tolerance curves in man and animals (1, 2, 3). However, the extent of the decrease in glucose tolerance varies, on an average dose of 100 mg. of cortisone a day, from only occasional impairment (4) to profound glycosuria observed on the third day of treatment, and a marked diabetic curve on the sixteenth day (5). We have previously demonstrated significant fasting hyperglycemia and reduction of glucose tolerance following intravenous infusion of ACTH (6, 7). There was, however, no linear relationship between increasing doses of ACTH and the extent of the changes in glucose tolerance. It was shown by Forsham et al. in 1948 that the apparent diabetogenic effect of ACTH is mediated through the adrenal cortex (8).