Plasma cortisol levels. A comparison between sick patients and volunteers given intravenous cortisol.

The plasma cortisol levels of 30 very sick patients were measured to determine whether evidence of suprarenal failure could be found. Volunteers were given 100 mg hydrocortisone intravenously and their plasma cortisol levels were measured. The results suggest that suprarenal failure is a very uncommon occurrence. The results obtained from the volunteers imply that relatively small amounts of hydrocortisone given intravenously cause a marked elevation of plasma cortisol levels.