Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) response to i.v. ACTH in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

Previous studies have demonstrated concentrating neuroendocrinological dist urbances in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients, concentrating in parti cular on low cortisol levels and a hypothalamic deficiency. In order to inv estigate the dynamic response of the adrenal glands, we measured dehydroepi androsterone (DHEA) in serum after adreno-corticotropic hormone (ACTH) stim ulation during 60 minutes in 22 CFS-patients and 14 healthy controls. We fo und normal basal DHEA levels, but a blunted serum DHEA response curve to i. v, ACTH injection. This observation adds to the large amount of evidence of endocrinological abnormalities in CFS. Relative glucocorticoid deficiency might contribute to the overall clinical picture in CFS, and could explain some of the immunological disturbances observed in this syndrome.