The value of low dose (1 microg) ACTH stimulation test in the investigation of non-classic adrenal hyperplasia due to 11beta-hydroxylase deficiency

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of ACTH (Corticotropin) in the context of hyperparathyroidism, published as a clinical trial.

Their aim was to investigate the responses of 11-deoxycortisol to 1microg ACTH (LDT) test in women with NCAH due to 11-beta hydroxylase (11- beta OH) deficiency and to compare them with the values obtained after SDT in the patients and in the control subjects.

Why It Was Studied

Non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NCAH) is a rare cause of hirsutism and it results from a defect in the biosynthetic pathway of cortisol and/or aldosterone. 250 microg ACTH test (SDT) is used in the diagnosis of this disease.

Eleven patients with NCAH due to 11- beta OH deficiency and 15 control subjects were involved in the study.

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 15 subjects were involved.

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were adults, women only.

What Was Measured

Non-classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (NCAH) is a rare cause of hirsutism and it results from a defect in the biosynthetic pathway of cortisol and/or aldosterone. 250 microg ACTH test (SDT) is used in the diagnosis of this disease.

ACTH stimulation tests were carried out consecutively by using 250 microg and 1 microg intravenous ACTH as a bolus injection after an overnight fast, and blood samples were drawn at 0,30 and 60 min.

Topics PubMed links to this paper include 17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone, Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital, Adrenocorticotropic Hormone, Cortodoxone, Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate, Hydrocortisone and Steroid 11-beta-Hydroxylase.

What This Means in Plain Language

This is a clinical trial of ACTH (Corticotropin) in 15 subjects in people with hyperparathyroidism.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The publication is from 2002 (Experimental and clinical endocrinology & diabetes : official journal, German Society of Endocrinology [and] German Diabetes Association), a journal based in Germany.

More context: the ACTH (Corticotropin) compound page, Hyperparathyroidism research.