EFFECT OF CORTISOL ON THE PRODUCTION OF OVARIAN ANDROGENS

in Journal of Endocrinology
Authors:
J. JANATA
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L. STÁRKA
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Relatively small doses of glucocorticosteroids are known to cause improvement of menstrual disorders and to facilitate conception in patients with ovarian dysfunction (Jefferies & Levy, 1959; Jefferies, 1960; Perloff, 1959). They have also been shown to produce significant changes in the excretion of urinary 17-ketosteroids (17-KS).

The clinical improvement and the decrease in 17-ketosteroid excretion are usually explained by a suppressive action on adrenocortical function. On the other hand, there is evidence of an effect of corticosteroids on the functional relationship between ovary and adenohypophysis. Butt, Crooke, Cunningham & Palmer (1963) have demonstrated an increase in FSH and urinary oestriol in women with the Stein-Leventhal syndrome after administration of dexamethasone.

The effect of intravenous administration of cortisol on the concentration of androgens in the ovarian venous blood and the ovarian tissue has been studied in four women. Patient 1 suffered from ovarian hirsutism and oligomenorrhoea, interrupted by periods of

 

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