Adrenocortical Function During Intermittent Corticosteroid Therapy
Authors: DONALD A. ADAMS
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1966)

Article1 March 1966Adrenocortical Function During Intermittent Corticosteroid TherapyDONALD A. ADAMS, M.D., ERNEST M. GOLD, M.D., HARVEY C. GONICK, M.D., F.A.C.P., MORTON H. MAXWELL, M.D., F.A.C.P.DONALD A. ADAMS, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, ERNEST M. GOLD, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, HARVEY C. GONICK, M.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this author, MORTON H. MAXWELL, M.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-64-3-542 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptCorticosteroid therapy regularly suppresses adrenocortical function although upon withdrawal of exogenous steroids restoration of adrenal function is said to occur within several days (1, 2). However, recent evidence indicates that suppression commonly may persist for as long as 6 to 9 months (3). The clinical consequences of this problem are difficult to document other than as isolated reports relating prior steroid treatment to hypotension or sudden death associated with minor trauma or surgical procedures (4-6). The problem of adrenocortical suppression assumes increasing importance now that widespread clinical usage of corticosteroids is approaching 15 treatment years.Evaluation of intermittent steroid treatment...References1. BIERICHKERSTENMARVELSTAD JRIS: Plasma corticosteroids and their responsiveness to corticotrophin after long term therapy with corticosteroids and corticotrophin. Acta Endocr. (Kobenhavn) 31: 40, 1959. MedlineGoogle Scholar2. CALKINSENGELMITCHELLCARTERBAUER ELLDMPW: Clinical, metabolic and endocrinologic effects of abrupt cessation of maintenance cortisone acetate therapy in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Rheum. 3: 204, 1960. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. 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Google Scholar32. DANOWSKIMATEERPUNTERERI TSFMAJ: ACTH or adrenocortical steroid therapy of proteinuria in adolescents and in adults. Amer. J. Med. Sci. 237: 545, 1959. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar33. BOTTOMLYANDERSONBACHMAN DRRADM: Intermittent adrenocorticoid therapy in rheumatoid arthritis, dermatomyositis and scleroderma. Arthritis Rheum. 7: 294, 1964. Google Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Los Angeles, CaliforniaFrom the Departments of Medicine, UCLA Center for the Health Sciences and the Veterans Administration Center, Los Angeles, Calif.This study was supported in part by a grant from the Southern California Chapter of the National Kidney Disease Foundation, and the University Medical Research Foundation, Los Angeles, Calif.This study was presented in part at the National Annual Meeting of the American Federation for Clinical Research, Atlantic City, May 3, 1964.Requests for reprints should be addressed to Donald A. Adams, M.D., 11860 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90025. 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