Adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol response to corticotropin releasing hormone in the critically ill-a novel assessment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Background: The pathophysiology of adrenal insufficiency, common in surgical intensive care units, has not been fully elucidated.

Methods: Patients at risk (age > 55 years, in the surgical intensive care unit >1 week, baseline cortisol < 20 μg/dL) were enrolled. After measuring cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) was administered.

LHRH antagonist Cetrorelix reduces prostate size and gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines and growth factors in a rat model of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Background: Recent findings suggest that BPH has an inflammatory component. Clinical trials have documented that therapy with LHRH antagonist Cetrorelix causes a marked and prolonged improvement in LUTS in men with symptomatic BPH. We investigated the mechanism of action and effect of Cetrorelix in a rat model of BPH.

[Feminizing adrenal tumours in Spain: report of a case and review of the five previously published patients].

Feminizing adrenal tumours are very rare. We report the clinical and hormonal study of a case, a 49 years old male, since his first consultation until his death 6 years after the initial diagnosis, and a review of the other 5 Spanish patients previously published. His initial symptoms were gynecomastia and libido decrease, with increase of plasmatic and urinary oestrogen levels, plasma testosterone near low normal level and a right adrenal gland tumour that, after its removal, showed a benign histology and was classified as an adrenocortical adenoma.

Adrenocortical response to ovine corticotropin-releasing hormone in young men: cortisol measurement in matched samples of saliva and plasma.

Background: Assessment of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function in stress-related health problems in humans is frequently carried out as a dynamic test by measuring the profile of increment in adrenocortical hormone (ACTH) and/or cortisol level in plasma in response to corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) administration. However, obtaining multiple blood samples for this type of test is not only an invasive procedure but also problematic to use in individuals with constricted or damaged veins which collapse during the blood draw such as the injecting drug users (IDUs) and HIV-1-infected individuals. Salivary cortisol measurement presents a non-invasive alternate approach to evaluate HPA axis activity in different situations.