Gender difference in adrenal sensitivity to ACTH is abolished in type 2 diabetes

Endocrine Connections
Lisa ArnetzMichael Alvarsson

Abstract

Dysfunction of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been implicated in type 2 diabetes (T2D). The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of T2D and gender on the HPA axis. Synthetic ACTH (1 μg) was administered to 21 subjects with T2D (age 62 (54-70) years, 11 men/ten women, HbA1c 49±2 mmol/mol, treated with diet or oral antidiabetic drugs) and 38 controls (age 58 (41-67) years, 20 men/18 women). Fasting basal B-glucose, serum cortisol, insulin, IGF1 and IGFBP1 concentrations were measured, and sampling for all but IGF1 was repeated 30, 60, and 90 min after ACTH injection. Patients took 0.25 mg dexamethasone at 2200-2300 h and returned the next morning for the measurement of serum cortisol concentration. Cross-sectional study. Patients with T2D had similar fasting serum cortisol, IGF1 and IGFBP1 concentrations; however, serum cortisol concentration after administration of dexamethasone did not differ between the groups. Healthy women exhibited higher peak cortisol levels compared with healthy men (675±26 vs 582±21 nmol/l, P=0.014), while the peak levels were equally high in men and women with T2D, resulting in a higher peak level in men with T2D compared with healthy men (691±42 vs 582±21 nmol/l, P=0.024)....Continue Reading

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BETA
hormone replacement therapy

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STATISTICA

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