Pituitary-adrenal function in patients with acute subarachnoid haemorrhage: a prospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) may damage the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal gland (HPA) axis and disturb cortisol metabolism. There are no available data that relates to the response of the HPA axis in the acute phase of SAH. We aimed to characterise the behavior of serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), total cortisol, stimulated total cortisol and free cortisol concentrations in acute aneurysmal SAH.

Methods

A prospective cohort study was conducted of patients with acute aneurysmal SAH (n = 30) admitted to a tertiary university hospital. Patients admitted for elective aneurysmal surgery (n = 16) served as the control group. An ACTH stimulation test was performed twice during the first week and at three months. The main outcome measure was description of the

SUBMITTER: Bendel S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2592763 | biostudies-literature | 2008

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature