A gas chromatographic method has been employed for the determination of dehydroepiandrosterone (D), androsterone (A), dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DS) and androsterone sulphate (AS) in the peripheral blood of human subjects and in various mammals under physiological conditions and after the administration of D or DS. Unconjugated D has been isolated and the resting level determined in the rat, rabbit, dog, sheep, pig and cow, while DS was detectable in the peripheral circulation of the rat, dog and pig. Unconjugated A was present in blood of the rodents and domestic ungulates studied, while the parent sulphate could be demonstrated only in rat, dog, pig and cow. The plasma of lower mammals contained D in higher (0.8\p=n-\10.9 \g=m\g/100ml), and DS, if any, in lower level (1.5\p=n-\5.7 \g=m\g/100ml) than the human plasma samples (0.1\p=n-\2.7 and 86\p=n-\308 \g=m\g/100ml, respectively). There was a more pronounced increase in D and A than in the DS and AS level in the rat and dog following administration of D. On the contrary, exogenous D hardly affected unconjugated D and appreciably enhanced the DS level in human plasma. The conclusion drawn for human subjects, that D is the metabolically active and DS the reserve hormone, does not seem to be valid for all the animals here studied. 126

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Female patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Steinbrocker's II and III rating scale have been examined. They were without steroid treatment at least six months before obser. vation. Plasma protein picture showed hypoalbuminaemia and hyperglobulinaemia. There was no difference relative to controls either in the total (free + protein bound) plasma dehydroepiandrosterone (D) level, or in its distribution with plasma proteins. In the age group of 18 to 45 years, a statistically significant decrease have been observed in the total plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DS) level without any change in its distribution in protein binding. Furthermore, low androsterone sulphate (AS) levels were found irrespective of the age of patients. The results gave further information on the pathomechanism resulting in an abnormal androgen hormone pattern of blood and a low metabolite excretion, observed previously in patients with RA.Summary. Female patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Steinbrocker's II and III rating scale have been examined. They were without steroid treatment at least six months before observation. Plasma protein picture showed hypoalbuminaemia and hypergiobulinaemia. There was no difference relative to controls either in the total (free + protein bound) plasma dehydroepiandrosterone (D) level, or in its distribution with plasma proteins. In the age group of 18 to 45 years, a statistically significant decrease have been observed in the total plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DS) level without any change in its distribution in protein binding. Furthermore, low androsterone sulphate (AS) levels were found irrespective of the age of patients. The results gave further information on the pathomechanism resulting in an abnormal androgen hormone pattern of blood and a low metabolite excretion, observed previously in patients with RA.