To determine glandular steroid release of adrenals and ovaries in female hyperandrogenism, a standardized method for percutaneous transfemoral venous blood sampling was developed. In eight volunteers and 67 patients, catheterization was performed during the early follicular phase (days 3-7; between 8 and 10 a.m.) to reduce interference from cyclic and circadian variations of secretion. Serial samplings reduced the episodic effluent changes. Anatomical variations and collateral flow as well as stress effects and the dosage of contrast media were studied. During catheterization, peripheral cortisol levels did not differ significantly from control groups. Collaterals had no effect on hormone levels. Contrast media increased cortisol effluent levels only when they were sampled following venography. Four-vessel venous sampling was found to be indicated if peripheral testosterone was more than 1.5 ng/ml and/or dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate more than 6,700 ng/ml. If an ovarian (adrenal)/peripheral gradient of testosterone exceeded 2.7 ng/ml, surgical intervention for tumor removal at the site of hormone excess was felt to be necessary.
The effects of ethinylestradiol (1 mug/kg body weight daily) on plasma renin substrate concentration, other factors of the renin-aldosterone-system, and on the cortisol-binding capacity of transcortin were determined in 8 young men and 9 young women. The absolute and relative elevation of plasma renin substrate after 5, 14, and 24 days of ethinylestradiol administration was significantly (P less than 0.001) greater in females than males. Control and posttreatment transcortin levels were also higher in women than men, but the percentage increase did not differ between males and females. It is likely that sex differences in the response of plasma renin substrate to the estrogen are due to differences in hepatic synthesis and/or release of renin substrate. In females, plasma renin activity, angiotensin II concentration, and urinary aldosterone excretion rose significantly although less markedly than plasma renin substrate concentration, while in males only the increase in plasma angiotensin II concentration was significant. These results indicate that no safe conclusions on metabolic effects of estrogen treatment in women can be drawn from experiments carried out in male subjects.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.