[Status of the glucocorticoid function of the adrenal glands in patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis].

Abstract

The authors studied the glucocorticoid function of the adrenals in 117 patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) and in 37 children of the control group. Relation between the level of cortisol in the blood plasma and sex, age form and duration of the disease, indices of the clinical, laboratory and immunological activity, the nature of roentgenological changes in the joints and therapy was analysed. A decrease in the glucocorticoid function of the adrenal cortex correlated with the severity of the clinical forms and duration of the disease, being especially manifest in children of younger age. Hormonal therapy also causes significant and prolonged inhibition of the glucocorticoid function. The total contribution of the analysed sings of the disease being most significant for JRA from the clinical point of view did not influence much changes in cortisol concentration in the blood of the patients.