Improvement of ACTH response to insulin tolerance test in female patients with rheumatoid arthritis due to tumor necrosis factor inhibition.

Objective: The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis evaluation has been conflicting in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Our aim was to evaluate the HPA axis response to the insulin tolerance test (ITT) in premenopausal female patients with RA before and after anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy (anti-TNF therapy).

Design: A comparative cross-sectional analysis.