Effect of Temperature and Dexamethasone on the Plasma 17-Hydroxycorticoid and Growth Hormone Responses to Pyrogen

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Abstract
Pyrogen was administered intravenously to 14 normal subjects under 3 test conditions: no premedication, premedication with dexamethasone and premedication with dexamethasone and aspirin. The subjects were also studied without pyrogen while receiving dexamethasone. Plasma 17-hydroxycorticoid (17-OHCS) and growth hormone (GH) responses were determined. The increases in 17-OHCS and GH were related to the maximum temperatures attained following pyrogen, and these increases correlated significantly with the maximum temperatures regardless of the pretreatment. The increases of plasma 17-OHCS and of GH correlated significantly with each other. The effect of dexamethasone on inhibiting plasma 17-OHCS and GH responses appeared to be due to its antipyretic action and not to a direct inhibition of hormonal release. In assessing hypothalamic-pituitary function, failure of plasma 17-OHCS or GH concentrations to rise in the absence of adequate febrile response cannot be considered abnormal.