[Behavior of plasma androgens in cases of adrenal pathology]

Following chromatographic separation, the RI method has been used to examine the behaviour of plasmatic androgens in a group of normal subjects, in two patients with Addison's disease and two patients with hypercorticoadrenalism, due respectively to corticoadrenal adenoma and bilateral adenomatous hyperplasia. A significant reduction in adrenal androgens was observed in patients suffering from Addison's disease. The most interesting information, however, was the paradoxical reduction in DHEA and delta 4-A in patients with corticoadrenal hyperfunction.