THE EFFECT OF MASSIVE CORTISONE THERAPY ON MEASUREMENTS OF THYROID FUNCTION*

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Abstract
THE employment of extremely large doses of cortisone acetate in the therapy of various disease states has recently provided a unique opportunity to explore the magnitude of changes in the functional state of the thyroid gland which may be induced by high levels of circulating 11-dehydro-17-hydroxycorticosterone. A decreased collection of radioiodine in the thyroid gland of the rat given cortisone has been demonstrated (1), and a decrease in the I131 “accumulation gradient” induced by moderate doses of cortisone (100 mg. daily) has been, reported in man (2, 3). These same authors and others (4) have reported a decrease in blood proteinbound iodine levels incident to cortisone therapy in moderate doses. It was the purpose of this study to observe the development, extent and duration of the suppression of radioiodine uptake, the changes in PBI, and, to a lesser extent, the changes in serum cholesterol which might be produced by massive cortisone administration in man.