D S McKenna1, G M Wittber, H N Nagaraja, P Samuels. 1. Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether repeated doses of maternal corticosteroids suppress the maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. STUDY DESIGN: The low-dose corticotropin stimulation test (1.0 microg intravenously) was administered a median of 3 days after the last betamethasone dose to 18 pregnant women who had received at least 2 weekly courses of antenatal betamethasone and to 6 control subjects matched for gestational age who had not received antenatal corticosteroids. RESULTS: The mean basal cortisol level was significantly depressed among women who had received betamethasone with respect to control subjects (1.9 +/- 1.5 vs 26.5 +/- 6.2 microg/dL; P <.001). The maternal cortisol level after corticotropin stimulation was significantly lower in all women who had received betamethasone (P <. 001). The mean time to attainment of peak cortisol level was significantly longer among women who had received betamethasone than among control subjects (37 +/- 6.8 vs 27.4 +/- 1.6 minutes; P <.001). CONCLUSIONS: Repeated courses of betamethasone lead to barely detectable maternal basal cortisol levels and secondary adrenal insufficiency.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether repeated doses of maternal corticosteroids suppress the maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. STUDY DESIGN: The low-dose corticotropin stimulation test (1.0 microg intravenously) was administered a median of 3 days after the last betamethasone dose to 18 pregnant women who had received at least 2 weekly courses of antenatal betamethasone and to 6 control subjects matched for gestational age who had not received antenatal corticosteroids. RESULTS: The mean basal cortisol level was significantly depressed among women who had received betamethasone with respect to control subjects (1.9 +/- 1.5 vs 26.5 +/- 6.2 microg/dL; P <.001). The maternal cortisol level after corticotropin stimulation was significantly lower in all women who had received betamethasone (P <. 001). The mean time to attainment of peak cortisol level was significantly longer among women who had received betamethasone than among control subjects (37 +/- 6.8 vs 27.4 +/- 1.6 minutes; P <.001). CONCLUSIONS: Repeated courses of betamethasone lead to barely detectable maternal basal cortisol levels and secondary adrenal insufficiency.
Authors: David Q Stoye; Gemma Sullivan; Paola Galdi; Clemens Kirschbaum; Gillian J Lamb; Gill S Black; Margaret J Evans; James P Boardman; Rebecca M Reynolds Journal: Psychoneuroendocrinology Date: 2021-04-10 Impact factor: 4.905
Authors: Mohd Ashraf Ganie; Riyaz Ahmed Bhat; Mushtaq Ahmed Dangroo; Suman Kotwal; Manzoor Ahmad Bhat; Sanjeed Ahmed; Saqib Hassan; Zaffar Amin Shah Journal: Indian J Endocrinol Metab Date: 2012-05