Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Vasopressin, secreted in equimolar amounts with copeptin, is implicated as a stimulus for ACTH secretion during dynamic tests, such as Glucagon Stimulation Test (GST) or Insulin Tolerance Test (ITT). Some individuals with intact ACTH-cortisol axis, demonstrate, however, a lack of further cortisol stimulation during GST. We have assessed whether failure of further ACTH-cortisol increase during GST may be associated with an inadequate vasopressin/copeptin release.</p...

Background: Copeptin (pre-proAVP) secreted in equimolar amounts with vasopressin (AVP) closely reflects AVP release. Previously it was shown that copeptin is stimulated in standard pituitary function tests acting through hypothalamic centres. Furthermore, copeptin has been shown to subtly mirror stress potentially mediated via CRH. To further test a potential direct interaction of CRH with copeptin release which could augment AVP effects on pituitary function, we investigated ...