Download PDF
Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 1986; 87(2): 208-210
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1210545
Short Communication

© J. A. Barth Verlag in Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Effect of Prolonged Administration of CRF on Plasma Concentrations of ACTH in Patients with Addison's Disease

K. Pirich, H. Vierhapper, P. Nowotny, W. Waldhäusl
  • I. Medizinische Universitätsklinik (Vorstand: Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. E. Deutsch), Abteilung für klinische Endokrinologie und Diabetes mellitus, Wien/Österreich
Further Information

Publication History

1985

Publication Date:
16 July 2009 (online)

Also available at
  PDF Download  Permissions and Reprints

Summary

To investigate the possibility that the prolonged administration of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) might suppress rather than enhance pituitary ACTH-secretion 24-hour infusions (50 μg/h) of ovine CRF were performed in 6 patients with adrenocortical insufficiency. CRF induced a heterogenous behaviour of plasma ACTH concentrations in these hypercorticotropinemic patients but both a sustained increase and a suppression of ACTH was clearly absent at the end of the 24 hour infusion period. Thus, continuous administration of CRF does not appear to be a promising way to control abundance of plasma ACTH concentrations in patients with Addison's disease.

Key words

CRF - ACTH - Addison's disease