Rapid Intravenous Administration of Corticotropin as a Test of Adrenocortical Insufficiency

The study from 1967 involved 38 adult patients and assessed the effectiveness of a rapid intravenous corticotropin test in diagnosing adrenocortical insufficiency. Patients received 25 units of corticotropin, and their plasma corticoid levels were measured after one hour. Results showed that 31 patients had a normal adrenal response, while 7 with adrenal insufficiency did not respond to the stimulation. The study concluded that the rapid corticotropin test is a valuable, simple, and quick diagnostic tool for adrenocortical insufficiency, suitable for use in small clinical laboratories.