SERUM CORTISOL APPEARANCE-DISAPPEARANCE IN ADRENAL INSUFFICIENCY AFTER ORAL CORTISONE ACETATE

Six patients with long-standing idiopathic primary adrenal insufficiency were given 25 mg of cortisone acetate orally on two occasions. Circulating serum cortisol levels were determined hourly for five hours after ingestion. Two patients were additionally studied with an oral dose of 20 mg of cortisol. Marked patient to patient variation in peak hormone and in fifth hour hormone levels was observed. Both values were lowest in the two chronically symptomatic patients who had been maintained on empiric glucocorticoid replacement. Specific information on blood cortisol levels in treated Addisonian individuals has not been previously reported.