SELECTIVE INCREASES IN ADRENAL STEROIDOGENIC CAPACITY DURING ACUTE RESPIRATORY-DISEASE IN INFANTS

To examine steroidogenic responses of the different zones of the adren al cortex to acute disease we determined the basal and adrenocorticotr opin (ACTH)-stimulated levels of cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHE AS) and aldosterone in 16 infants aged 1-4 months with acute bronchiol itis. Fourteen of the infants were retested after recovery. During ill ness the mean basal levels of cortisol and DHEAS were twice as high as the levels after recovery (370 vs 180 nmol/l and 2.7 vs 1.3 mu mol/l, respectively). The mean peak ACTH-stimulated levels of cortisol and D HEAS during illness were 1.5-and 2.5-fold higher, respectively, than t he levels found after recovery. Although aldosterone secretion was sti mulated greater than or equal to 3-fold by ACTH, illness was not assoc iated with any change in aldosterone secretory capacity. The basal and stimulated levels of both cortisol and DHEAS during illness and after recovery were correlated significantly. Thus, the relative steroidoge nic capacities for these two steroids were characteristic of the indiv idual infant and showed constancy over a period of at least several we eks. While the levels of cortisol and aldosterone were not dependent o n the age of the infants, both the basal and stimulated levels of DHEA S correlated strongly with age. We conclude that during acute disease the steroidogenic capacity selectively increases in the zones that sec rete cortisol and DHEAS (only in infants <3 months) but not in the zon a glomerulosa that secretes aldosterone. The DHEAS response may be rel ated to its putative effects to enhance immune responses.