Studies of Adrenocortical Function in Continuous Asthma

Adrenocortical function in asthmatic children: low levels of adrenocortical hormones in children with persistent attacks

“…We speculate that the inability to sustain an elevated F level may lead to persistent asthma attacks. Robson and Kilborn [14] suggested that patients with persistent asthma attacks might have a diminished adrenocortical reserve secondary to an abnormality of corticotropin production by the anterior pituitary.…”

Effect of Corticosteroid and Corticotrophin Therapy on Adrenocortical Function in Bronchial Asthma

“…The subjects were patients with continuous asthma in whom the adrenal function had been assessed (Robson and Kilborn, 1965) and in whom corticosteroid or corticotrophin therapy was indicated clinically. The prednisone group consisted of 14 of the first 21 patients to be investigated, and the A.C.T.H.…”

“…The methods used have been described in detail previously (Robson and Kilborn, 1965). They consisted of an estimation of the cortisol production rate by an isotope dilution method, which measures the total mass of metabolites derived from cortisol alone (Cope and Black, 1958;De Witt et al, 1962), followed by the serial estimation of plasma cortisol during the intravenous infusion of 30 units of A.C.T.H.…”

“…In a previous paper (Robson and Kilborn, 1965) we described some observations on adrenocortical function in continuous asthma. The methods employed were the cortisol production rate using an isotope dilution method (De Witt, Robson, and Stewart, 1962) and the specific measurement of plasma cortisol during adrenocorticotrophic hormone (A.C.T.H.)…”

Mechanism of Psychogenic Asthmatic Attack in Children

“…The purely psychological views are represented by various hypotheses such as: 'specific personality profile' (6), conversion reaction (5), 'specific nuclear onflict' (1), 'physiological regression' (8) and 'specific attitude' (9). The psychophysiological explanation relates to parasympathetic dominance (17), specific hypothalamic depression (10), depressed adrenal medullary function (12), de creased response of cortex (9,15) and deficiency of 0-adrenergic receptors (16). It has also been hypothesized (3) that asthmatic attacks are epileptic equivalents and are triggered by an epileptic focus in the brain.…”