[Correlation of hydrocortisone and corticosterone content in assessing the functional state of the adrenal cortex in varying forms of hypercorticism].

Separate determination of hydrocortisone and corticosterone in the blood of patients with the hypercorticism symptom-complex showed that elevation of the corticosteroid concentration could occur on account of similar elevation of the concentration of both hormones, or one of the hormones alone. Analogous data were observed in patients after ACTH administration. Dexamethasone administration caused a reduction of the hydrocortisone and corticosterone concentration in patients with Itsenko-Cushing's disease, but to a lesser degree than in healthy individuals. Administration of the preparation to the patients with juvenile dyspituitrism decreased the cortizol level, but corticosterone chiefly; as to the patients with the hypothalamic syndrome--only the cortizol level was reduced, the level of corticosterone remaining unchanged. Thus, the evidence obtained before and after the administration of the ACTH preparations and dexamethasone permitted to assess the adrenal cortex function more fully and to defect disturbances of the corticosteroid secretion of interest of the understanding of the clinical symptoms of the disease.