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During a corticotropin-releasing hormone test in healthy subjects, administration of a beta-adrenergic antagonist induced secretion of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and inhibited secretion of ACTH
Plain-language guide to PMID 12534357 (2003): clinical trial study of ACTH (Corticotropin) and CRH (Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone) in 12 subjects.
Key Facts
- PMID
- 12534357
- Journal
- European journal of endocrinology
- Year
- 2003
- Study type
- Clinical Trial
- Authors
- Kizildere S et al. (5 authors)
- DOI
- 10.1530/eje.0.1480045
What This Study Did, in Plain Language
What Was Tested
The paper reports a study of ACTH (Corticotropin) and CRH (Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone), published as a clinical trial.
In chronic inflammatory diseases, serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) sulfate (DHEAS) are low.
Interestingly, several non-inflammatory diseases display similarly low levels of DHEAS which points to other inhibitory factors such as an activated sympathetic nervous system (SNS) (e.g. in patients with heart failure, fibromyalgia, or cancer cachexia).
The researchers aimed to identify the influence of the SNS tone on stimulated adrenal steroid secretion in 16 male and 12 female healthy subjects.
Who Took Part
According to the abstract, 12 subjects were involved.
PubMed indexes the participants as adults, both men and women.
How the Study Was Run
One group were given oral propranolol 2 h before a corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) test, and levels of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), cortisol, 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP), androstenedione, DHEA, and DHEAS were measured.
What Was Measured
PubMed files the paper under topics including 17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases, 17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone, Adrenal Glands, Adrenergic beta-Antagonists, Adrenocorticotropic Hormone, Androstenedione and Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone.
What This Means in Plain Language
This is a clinical trial of ACTH (Corticotropin) and CRH (Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone) in 12 subjects.
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.
Its findings take up roughly 4 sentences of the abstract and are left out here on purpose; the source paper is the place to read them.
The publication is from 2003 (European journal of endocrinology), a journal based in England.
More context: the ACTH (Corticotropin) compound page and the CRH (Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone) compound page, all human trials.
Our Notes on the Compounds
ACTH (Corticotropin): The 39-amino-acid pituitary hormone that drives cortisol production; given as repository corticotropin (Acthar Gel).
CRH (Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone): The 41-amino-acid hypothalamic hormone that triggers ACTH release; corticorelin is used diagnostically.
Related Pages
Source: PubMed record. This explanation is written by PeptideWhiz from the public record. For research and education only. Not medical advice; no dosing information is given.