THE EFFECT OF CORTICOTROPHIN AND CORTISONE ON SERUM LIPIDS AND LIPOPROTEINS

Abstract

Opinions differ as to the effect of corticotrophin (ACTH) and cortisone on circulating lipids and lipoproteins. Conn & Vogel (1949) claimed that ACTH depresses the cholesterol level while Adlersberg et al. (1950) noted an increase in the serum cholesterol and phospholipids during ACTH or cortisone therapy. Subsequently Adlersberg et al. (1951) observed that these agents also depressed the serum neutral fat. The administration of ACTH produced less conspicuous changes. In patients with coronary artery disease Oliver & Boyd (1956 b) found that ACTH and cortisone depress the cholesterol, the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio and the concentration of cholesterol linked to the β-lipoprotein fraction, but raise the α-lipoprotein cholesterol. Barr (1955) found that the administration of cortisone in 10 normal subjects produced no marked effect on the lipids. It was in an attempt to find an explanation for this lack of unanimity that the present study was started.