Some Clinical Experience in the Determination of Cortisol and Corticosterone in a Small Sample of Human Plasma

Abstract

Quantitative determinations of cortisol and corticosterone were performed in 3 ml of human plasma, using the different partition coefficients of these steroids between water and carbon tetrachloride according to Van der Vies (1961). Comparative values for plasma cortisol and corticosterone in adults and children and in patients treated with corticotrophin (ACTH) or corticosteroids are presented. Cortisol levels in non-treated adults and in children amounted to 11.8 ± 2.0 ranging from 5–26 μg per 100 ml while mean corticosterone levels were found to be 2.75 ± 0.70 ranging from 0–6 μg per 100 ml. Intravenous Cortrophin or Pitressin for one hour or intramuscular Cortrophin Z generally increased both plasma cortisol and corticosterone, whereas treatment with prednisone somewhat decreased the cortisol content of plasma without affecting the plasma corticosterone. One patient with Cushing's syndrome had a high cortisol and a normal corticosterone level and in an adult patient with rheumatoid arthritis treated for several months with Cortrophin Z, the rather high cortisol level was associated with a very low corticosterone content of the plasma.

The Determination of Adrenocortical Steroids in Blood: Observations on the Reliability of a Simple Fluorimetric Method for Cortisol

“…Even so, optimum specificity for cortisol still requires the preliminary petrol partition. A recent technique employing partition between carbon tetrachloride and water to separate cortisol from corticosterone (Van der Vies, 1961) also appears to effect some purification of cortisol, but its specificity for corticosterone is still doubtful (Van der Vies, 1961 ; Van der Wal, Israels, Janssen & de Wied, 1961). Further information on the specificity of these methods is still required.…”