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CIRCULATING LEVELS OF CORTICOTROPHIN AND CORTISOL AFTER INFUSIONS OF L‐DOPA, DOPAMINE AND NORADRENALINE, IN MAN
Author(s) -
WILCOX C. S.,
AMINOFF M. J.,
MILLAR J. G. B.,
KEENAN J.,
KREMER M.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
clinical endocrinology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1365-2265
pISSN - 0300-0664
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2265.1975.tb01526.x
Subject(s) - medicine , endocrinology , dopamine , saline , norepinephrine , catecholamine , parkinsonism , blood pressure , chemistry , disease
SUMMARY Intravenous infusions of noradrenaline and dopamine in normal saline, and l ‐dopa in sodium lactate, were given to seven patients with Parkinsonism, and to five healthy volunteers. Infusions of saline and lactate were given, in a similar manner, to six additional healthy volunteers, who formed a control group. Dopamine and noradrenaline were each given in gradually increasing doses, for periods of 4 min, until a 30% increase in systolic blood pressure had occurred. l ‐Dopa (320 mg) was given at a constant rate of infusion over 80 min. Plasma fluorogenic corticosteroids (cortisol) increased with dopamine, and decreased with noradrenaline. These changes were significantly different from the control group in the case of noradrenline only. ACTH values changed in a similar manner. l ‐Dopa produced a consistent rise in both ACTH and cortisol that was significantly different from control subjects. The implications of these observations are discussed.