Urocortin 2 infusion in healthy humans: hemodynamic, neurohormonal, and renal responses

Plain-language guide to PMID 17258092 (2007): single-blind and placebo-controlled controlled clinical trial study of ACTH (Corticotropin) and CRH (Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone) in 8 men.

Key Facts

PMID: 17258092
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology
Year: 2007
Study type: Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Davis ME et al. (8 authors)
DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2006.09.035

What This Study Did, in Plain Language

What Was Tested

Researchers studied ACTH (Corticotropin) and CRH (Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone) in this controlled clinical trial publication.

The researchers sought to examine the effects of urocortin (UCN) 2 infusion on hemodynamic status, cardiovascular hormones, and renal function in healthy humans.

Why It Was Studied

Urocortin 2 is a vasoactive and cardioprotective peptide belonging to the corticotrophin-releasing factor peptide family.

Recent reports indicate the urocortins exert important effects beyond the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis upon cardiovascular and vasohumoral function in health and cardiac disease.

Who Took Part

The study group was 8 men.

The age groups tagged for this paper are adults and middle-aged adults, men only.

How the Study Was Run

In design terms this was a single-blind and placebo-controlled study.

Only one side, usually the men, was kept unaware of whether ACTH (Corticotropin) was given.

Some men received a placebo instead of ACTH (Corticotropin), giving a reference point.

Noninvasive hemodynamic indexes, neurohormones, and renal function were measured.

What Was Measured

The subject headings attached to it are Angiotensin II, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone, Heart Rate, Kidney, Natriuresis, Norepinephrine and Renin.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a single-blind and placebo-controlled study of ACTH (Corticotropin) and CRH (Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone) in 8 men.

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.

Results are reported in around 6 sentences of the abstract; we leave them to the paper itself rather than summarise them.

The publication is from 2007 (Journal of the American College of Cardiology), a journal based in United States.

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.

Urocortin: A family of peptides related to CRH that act on the heart and stress-response system; studied in heart failure trials.

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.