Investigation of adrenal steroids and 25-hydroxy-cholecalcipherol in human gramoxone poisoning

Serum cortisol, dehydroepiandro-sterone (DEA), dehydroepiandrosteron-sulphate (DS) and 25-hydroxy-cholecalcipherol (25-OH-D3) content were determined in 11 cases of gramoxone-poisoning by RIA method. Patients (19-21 year old men) simultaneously had ingested gramoxone 12 hours before blood samples were collected. Six of the patients died between the 5th and 8th day after the ingestion. In these cases the serum level of the adrenal steroids was markedly elevated, perhaps due to hyperreactor response of the adrenal cortex. In this group the serum 25-OH-D3 levels were decreased. On the contrary three survivors and two other patients who died on the 9th and 12th day had normal or low level of cortisol, DEA, DS and high level of 25-OH-D3. There seems to be a negative correlation between the serum levels of 25-OH-D3 and cortisol. The pathophysiological significance of the results is not clear, although this suggests that perhaps those people whose serum adrenal steroid content is lower and the 25-OH-D3 level is higher at the early stages of gramoxone poisoning have a better chance of survival.