TY - JOUR T1 - EFFECT OF CORTICOSTEROID TREATMENT ON URINARY EPINEPHRINE RESPONSE TO INDUCED HYPOGLYCEMIA IN ASTHMATIC CHILDREN JF - Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics JO - J Pharmacol Exp Ther SP - 180 LP - 188 VL - 184 IS - 1 AU - HELEN G. MORRIS AU - GEORGIA DeROCHE AU - MARTHA EARLE Y1 - 1973/01/01 UR - http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/184/1/180.abstract N2 - The effects of corticosteroid treatment on the adrenal cortical and medullary responses to induced hypoglycemia were examined in 7 control children with asthma and in 34 studies of 15 patients who had taken daily steroid therapy for six months to five years. Patients in the latter group were studied at intervals of two weeks as the steroid dose was reduced and discontinued : (1) 12 studies during treatment with prednisone, 10 to 15 mg/day, (2) 10 studies during treatment with prednisone, 2.5 to 5.0 mg/day and (3) 12 studies two to four weeks after steroid withdrawal. Insulin (0.1 U/kg) was given i.v. Consecutive timed urine specimens were analyzed for epinephrine by the method of Anton and Sayre; response to hypoglycemia was determined by mean excretion (nanograms per minute) during the first 60 to 120 minutes after insulin (average specimen time, 99 minutes). In all groups epinephrine excretion increased 7-to 10-fold after insulin; there were no significant differences in relation to the prednisone dose. When epinephrine responses were compared on the basis of plasma cortisol concentrations before or after insulin, lower epinephrine responses (P < .05) were observed in patients with minimal adrenal cortical function than in those with normal function. However, the decreases in epinephrine excretion were relatively small and comparison of paired responses in 10 patients studied serially during steroid withdrawal revealed no differences in epinephrine excretion in relation to prednisone dose or plasma steroid concentration. Thus, in asthmatic children, epinephrine excretion is altered minimally by steroid doses which suppress the adrenal cortex. © 1973 by The Williams & Wilkins Company ER -