Endocrine Abstracts

Methyl oxime–trimethylsilyl (MO-TMS) derivatisation with gas chromatography–mass spectrometric (GC-MS) analysis has been well established in the analysis of glucocorticoids and is still used in many laboratories for profiling endogenous steroids for clinical purposes. There appears to be a clinical need to extend the analysis to xenobiotic glucocorticoids, primarily to elucidate cases of patients presenting with adverse symptoms associated with glucocorticoid excess,...

Hydrocortisone treatment in septic shock promotes shock reversal and reduces mortality. We hypothesised the doses that used (200–300 mg/2 h) would result in plasma cortisol levels sufficient to saturate the 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 enzyme (11 beta-HSD 2) with cortisol inactivation overload. Consequently cortisol would access the mineralocorticoid receptor producing mineralocorticoid effects. Hypertensive metabolic alkalotic effects would tend to counteract t...