ON THE ADRENOCORTICAL RESERVES AND ON THE SEX DIFFERENCE OF ADRENOCORTICAL EXCRETION IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

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Abstract
The daily output of the total urinary 17- hydroxycorticosteroids (17-OHCS) was followed in 60 women and 26 men, all of whom had rheumatoid arthritis. They were stimulated with 80 IU daily of depot ACTH given intramuscularly, the function of the adrenals and the excretion of total 17-OHCS being best ascertained by a depot test lasting 2-3 days. In the entire series, the average basal excretion of 17-OHCS was 5.1 mg, for the 1st ACTH-day 14.9 mg, for the 2d 29.1 mg, and for the 3d day, 39.2 mg. The adrenocortical response in men was significantly greater than in women. The authors suggest that women, exhibiting poorer responses, have lower functional adrenocortical reserves than men, and are more susceptible to rheumatic fever. The stage and duration of the disease did not effect the adrenocortical response and the excretion of the 17-OHCS during the depot ACTH tests.