FEHLENDER ANSTIEG DER CORTICOSTEROIDE IM PLASMA WÄHREND DER INSULINHYPOGLYKÄMIE BEIM CUSHING-SYNDROM

Abstract

ABSTRACT Four patients with Cushing's syndrome associated with adrenal hyperplasia were submitted to insulin-induced liypoglycaemia. It was shown that contrary to conditions in normal subjects the Cushing-patients failed to respond to hypoglycaemia with an increase of corticosteroids in plasma. This effect was independent of the initial value of corticoid level. It is concluded that pituitary ACTH-release during hypoglycaemia in patients with Cushing's syndrome did not markedly increase. The findings are discussed under the aspects of primary hypothalamic pathogenesis of Cushing's syndrome: ACTH-secretion and plasma level are constant throughout the day and widely independent from exogenous and endogenous influences including such a stressful stimulus as hypoglycaemia.