The Suprarenal Function in Allergic Asthma

Determination of the Plasma and Urinary 17-OH-Corticoids and of the Urinary 17-Ketosteroids Before and After ACTH Zn.

¹ Head, Section of Nontuberculous Respiratory Diseases, Department of Phthisiology, Faculty of Medicine, Buenos Aires.

In 22 adult asthmatic patients of definite allergic origin who had never received corticosteroid treatment, the adrenal function was studied by means of the 24-hour test with ACTH Zn given by intramuscular injection. The urinary 17-ketosteroids, the urinary 17-hydroxycorticoids, and the plasma 17-hydroxycorticoids were studied.

Elimination of 17-ketosteroids was found to be diminished before the administration of ACTH. After the ACTH, the increase of the 17-ketosteroids was practically non-existent (+ 6 per cent).

The basal elimination of the 17-hydroxycorticoids was maintained within normal limits. However, the increase after stimulation was less (+ 145 per cent), than that which occurs with normal subjects (+ 300 per cent).

The proportion of plasma 17-hydroxycorticoids was found higher than the normal proportion. This manifested in inverse ratio to the intensity of symptoms.

The increase of the plasma corticoids eight hours after stimulation with ACTH was found to be diminished.

From these facts it is inferred that in the case of allergic asthma, there is a disturbance which can be classed among the subclinical adrenal insufficiencies, also called partial or compensated adrenal insufficiencies.