Cortisol Response in Healthy and Diseased Dogs after Stimulation with a Depot Formulation of Synthetic ACTH

The ACTH stimulation test is used to evaluate the adrenocortical reserve. Recently, the availability of the synthetic ACTH formulation was limited, causing major problems in clinical practice.

The objective of this study was to evaluate poststimulation peak cortisol concentrations and the duration of the stimulatory effect of a depot ACTH preparation in dogs.

Twenty-two healthy dogs, 10 dogs with suspected hypoadrenocorticism (HA) and 15 dogs with suspected hyperadrenocorticism (HC).

Prospective study. An ACTH stimulation test using a synthetic depot tetracosactide, administered intramuscularly (5 μg/kg or at least 0.1 mL) was performed. Blood samples for determination of cortisol were taken immediately before and 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 24 hours after stimulation.

Peak cortisol concentrations were reached after 2-4 hours in all dogs. Cortisol concentrations 1 hour after stimulation were >9 μg/dL in all healthy dogs and >5 μg/dL in all dogs in which HA was excluded. None of the dogs with HA showed a cortisol-increase above the detection-limit of the assay. After 6 hours, cortisol concentrations had decreased in the healthy and HC group and were back to baseline after 24 hours.

The depot formulation can be used in place of the short-acting ACTH to evaluate the adrenocortical reserve. Blood for peak cortisol concentrations should be drawn 3 hours after stimulation in cases in which HC is suspected; in HA-suspected cases, blood sampling can take place after 1 hour. As the stimulatory effect is gone after 24 hours, interference with other hormonal tests is unlikely after that time.