Effect of dexamethasone on blood levels of ACTH, cortisol, progesterone, estradiol and estriol during late pregnancy.
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Publications and source records attributed to A Kauppila.
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In order to evaluate the effect of electroconvulsive therapy on the human pituitary-adrenal function, serial plasma samples were assayed for FSH, LH, TSH, HGH, ACTH, cortisol and cyclic AMP before and after nine shocks in five subjects. A prominent finding was the rapid stimulation of the ACTH-cortisol production in all subjects, while no consistent changes in FSH, LH, TSH, HGH or cyclic AMP were found.
In order to study the function of the pituitary-adrenal axis, serum ACTH and cortisol levels were estimated before and after insulin induced hypoglycaemia in nine women with hyperemesis gravidarum, seven women in normal early pregnancy and in eight non-pregnant controls. Before hypoglycaemia, the basal ACTH level in the hyperemesis group (102-4+/-62-9 pg/ml) was higher than in normal early pregnancy (67-5+/-19-2 pg/ml; p less than 0-05) or in non-pregnant controls (54-8+/-25-2 pg/ml; less than 0-01). Correspondingly, the mean cortisol value in hyperemesis (0-47+/-0-16 mumol/l) was higher than in normal early pregnancy (0-39+/-0-10 mumol/l; p greater than 0-05) or in non-pregnant controls (0-32+/-0-13 mumol/l; p less than 0-01). After insulin the elevation of ACTH (p greater than 0-05) and cortisol (p less than 0-01) was observed in every group. The level of ACTH and cortisol was highest in hyperemesis group. Our results do not support the idea that hypofunction of the pituitary-adrenal axis contributes to the aetiology or pathogenesis of hyperemesis gravidarum. The high ACTH level might be evidence of the psychia instability of hyperemesis gravidarum patients.
The fetal pituitary-adrenal axis plays an important role in the role in the regulation of fetal development. In order to obtain information about fetal ACTH secretion at different gestational ages, a total of 109 amniotic fluid ACTH determinations was performed by radioimmunoassay. There was a significantly higher level of ACTH during 26 to 30 weeks of pregnancy (429 +/- 180-4 pg/ml) than in early (208-7 +/- 90-6 pg/ml) and in late (172-7 +/- 97-4 pg/ml) pregnancy; fetal sex, uterine contractions and maternal complications in pregnancy did not affect levels. The ACTH level in the first urine of six newborn infants (160-0 +/- 40-6 pg/ml) approximated to that in the amniotic fluid in late pregnancy. Our results support the assumption of a fetal origin for ACTH in amniotic fluid. The high secretion of ACTH at the beginning of the last trimester of pregnancy may stimulate the development of the adrenal cortex and result in the increased cortisol secretion necessary for fetal lung maturation.
Levels of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol were measured in amniotic fluid during labour and in maternal blood during and after labour. There was a significant rise of maternal ACTH and cortisol levels during labour and a significant decrease after delivery in all 14 patients studied. There were no significant changes in amniotic fluid ACTH and cortisol levels during labour. The initial level of ACTH in amniotic fluid (162-7 pg/ml) was higher than that in maternal circulation (120-2 pg/ml). The correlation between maternal and amniotic fluid ACTH was not significant while the corresponding correlation for cortisol values was.
In order to assess anterior pituitary function during the puerperium, 20 women were studied by 14 intravenous LRH and 10 TRH stimulation tests within 2-10 days post-partum. The basal FSH level (150-340 ng/ml) was within the normal non-pregnant range for the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle (50-350 ng/ml) and did not increase after 100 mug of synthetic LRH. The TSH (3.3-8.8 muU/ml) was high and increased after 200 mug of synthetic TRH about twofold. Obstetrical parameters (e.g. milk excretion, pregnancy complication, type of delivery or the amount of bleeding during delivery) were not associated with significant changes in FSH or TSH levels or in the responses to TRH stimulation.
When contrast medium is infected into an artery it flows to0wards the branches distally to the injectionsite. If, however, the contrast medium is injected into a vein the flow of the contrast medium usually has several routes to strive toward the right atrium. The flow in the veins may be affected by using e.g. compression, Valsalva manouore or gravity. By taking these aspects in the technique into consideration the diagnostic value of the phlebography can in many cases be improved.
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Maternal plasma ACTH, cortisol and TSH concentrations were determined during the course of the induced labours of 20 normal parturients. Alternate mothers were given segmental epidural analgesia for pain relief during the first stage of labour. The remaining parturients served as controls. The ACTH level rose in same way in both groups, reaching its peak at the moment of delivery and decreasing rapidly thereafter. Cortisol secretion reached its maximum during the first stage of labour in the moment of delivery. After delivery the cortisol level decreased more rapidly in the epidural group tha. in the control gro,p. Umbilical venous cortisol concentration was the same in both groups. The maternal TSH level did not change significantly during labour in either group.
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To investigate the functional capacity of the anterior pituitary gland in hyperemesis gravidarum, the serum levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), thyrotrophin (TSH), human growth hormone (HGH) and prolactin were measured before and after the combined administration of gonadotrophin and thyrotrophin releasing hormones, (GnRH, TRH), and insulin in seven normal pregnancies, nine with hyperemesis and eight nonpregnant subjects. There was no difference between normal pregnancy and hyperemesis for FSH and TSH, but the basal level of HGH was lower and that of prolactin higher in hyperemesis although their responses following stimulation were similar. Thus there seems to be no hypofunction of the anterior pituitary gland in hyperemesis gravidarum.
The immunoglobulins A, E, G and M of 25 patients with lung cancer were determined (by radial immunodiffusion) before, during and after radiotherapy. No significant change in any immunoglobulin were noticed overall. In the group with a poor prognosis (survival less than 12 months; 15 patients), there was a significant decrease of IgA and IgM one month after the irradiation. In the group of patients with pulmonary infection (14 patients), the level of IgA, IgG and IgM were lower than in the group without infection throughout the examination period. Cellular immunity measured by the PPD skin test, showed no significant differences between the groups by survival.
OPNE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-FOUR PATIENTS WITH GYNECOLOGICAL CARCINOMAS (104 ca colli uteri, 60 cacorporis uteri) were examined retrospectively two to seven years after combined internal-external radiotherapy. Thirty-seven per cent of the patients displayed mild intestinal symptoms during the therapy. The frequency of symptoms remained unchanged after the termination of therapy, though they tended to become more severe. Twenty-five per cent of the patients had urological symptoms during the therapy. Their rate remained the same during the arly follow-up, but increased subsequently, because the frequencies of infections and hematuria had increased. Fourteen patients developed a complication requiring operative treatment five to fifty-seven months after the discontinuation of therapy. Three of them had both intestinal and urological complications, while six had only urological complications. The intestinal complications were repaired with smallgut resections and colostomies, while the urological complications (ureteral strictures) were repaired with different diversion operations with good operative results. Thirteen of the patients with serious complications are alive. One patient had died of profuse rectovaginal bleeding. The mean radiation doses employed were not different in the group with serious complications. Evleven of the patients with complications suffered from different concurrent diseases, which may have diminished their radiation tolerance. The radiotherapy of gynecological malignancies ought to be preformed individually noticing the intestinal reactions during the therapy and the concurrent disease. The value of renography in early detection of urinary tract complications is stressed.
In order to study the complications and therapeutic outcome of twin pregnancies, a retrospective survey was carried out in the University Central Hospital of Oulu. Twin deliveries during 1965-1973 numbered altogether 335, and their relative frequency was 1.7 %. The deliveries took place in the 37.2th gestational week on an average. The mean weights of the infants were 2590 g (A) and 2562 g (B). Perinatal mortality in the total series was 9.3 % (A 9.0 % and B 9.6 %). Pregnancy terminated before the 37th week in 29.2% of the cases. Perinatal mortality in this group was 27.0 %, while the corresponding value in the full-term group was 1.7 %. The perinatal mortality of primigravidas (14.1 %) was about twofold compared with that of the multiparas (7.2 %). Twin pregnancies were complicated by hyperemesis gravidarum, pre-eclampsia, anaemia, pyelonephritis and hepatosis more often than were the single pregnancies. The complications which contributed towards an increase of perinatal mortality included uterine bleeding in early and late pregnancy, hydramnion and superimposed pre-eclampsia. The complications generally associated with twin pregnancies and the increased perinatal mortality involved require that mothers with twin pregnancy, particularly primigravidas, should be subjected to intensified follow-up and treatment.
In a series of 335 twin patients delivered over 1965-1973, active management was promoted during the pregnancy and delivery. The twin diagnosis was made in the 33.7th gestational week on an average. The diagnosis was made prior to delivery in 83.0 % of the cases, and during 1971-1973 the diagnosis was made before the 32nd week of pregnancy in 40.2 % of the cases. The perinatal mortality (PNM) rates were highly significantly (p less than 0.001) lower, the birthweights of A and B higher (p less than 0.001), and the number of gestational weeks at delivery greater (p less than 0.001) in the group diagnosed during pregnancy than in the group in which the twins were not diagnosed until at delivery. 56.4 % of the patients stayed in hospital for more than 2 days during the pregnancy and 34.9 % for over 10 days. The average period of hospitalization was 11.3 days. The perinatal mortality (PNM) of both the A and the B infants was lowest in the group hospitalized for over 10 days. In the group which had stayed in hospital for over 10 days the mean birthweight of the A infants was higher by 100 g and that of the B infants by 94 g than in the group not hospitalized despite the early diagnosis of twins. The average duration of delivery was 9.3 hours. Active efforts were made to shorten the interval between the births of the two infants, and it was 17.5 minutes on an average. This interval was not, however, related to the PNM rate of the B twins. On the basis of our findings, we wish to emphasize particularly the importance of the early diagnosis of twins.
The neonatal morbidity and mortality rate of 335 twin pairs born during the years 1965-1973 was investigated. 649 twins were born alive. 29 % of the twins were preterm. 31 % of the twins were small for date infants, and 41 % weighed less than 2 500 g. Mean birth weight was 2 590 g in A twins and 2 560 g in B twins. The neonatal mortality (0-28 days) was 7.1 %. The most common causes of death were the respiratory distress syndrome, intracranial haemorrhage and anoxia. Low one minute Apgar scores occurred more often in B twins than among A twins. Breech delivery gave low one minute Apgar scores more often than did spontaneous vertex delivery in both twins. Full term twins and infants weighing more than 2 500 g had fewer low one minute Apgar scores than the preterm infants and those with low birth weight. Neonatal disorders were equally common in both twins except the birth asphyxia and/or aspiration syndrome, which were more frequent in the B twins. The respiratory distress syndrome was diagnosed in 8 % of A twins and 12 % of B twins. Hypoglycaemia was recorded for 8 %, and hyperbilirubinaemia exceeding 15 mg % for 7 %. Infections occurred in 6 %. Transfusion syndrome was verified in 7 % and malformations in 6 %. Although mortality in twin pregnancies has declined, neonatal morbidity is very high. Twin pregnancies thus form a high risk group for obstetricians and pediatricians.
Thirty-one patients who suffered from various cancers in the pelvic region were treated in a double-blind clinical long-term study either with placebo, N-(2-methyl-3-chlorophenyl)-anthranilic acid (tolfenamic acid, Clotam) or oxyphenbutazone in order to diminish the local reactions after telecobalt therapy. The results were difficult to judge and no clear differences were seen between the groups. The side-effects were slight and unspecific, except gastrointestinal distresses, which occurred with both tolfenamic acid and oxyphenbutazone, but were more severe with the latter. No significant changes were seen in the blood counts, liver or kidney function tests with tolfenamic acid. In the oxyphenbutazone group S-ALAT, S-AFOS and direct bilirubin were slightly elevated. Blood in feces was more frequent in the drug-treated than in the placebo group. In the light of the present and earlier studies tolfenamic acid appears to cause less side-effects than oxyphenbutazone in prolonged treatment.