The role of adrenal medullary catecholamine release in the response to a cold pressor test

We studied the effects of a cold pressor test on the plasma catecholamine levels of ten patients undergoing coronary angiography, to determine whether the pressor changes were related to adrenergic activity. To investigate the relative contribution of adrenal medullary catecholamine release, we subjected two adrenalectomised volunteers to the same test. Arterial blood was assayed for dopamine (DA), adrenaline (A) and noradrenaline (NA). We found significant rises in the levels of all three catecholamines in the angiography patients, accompanied by a significant elevation in arterial blood pressure. In both the adrenalectomised patients a rise in blood pressure was seen but no significant rise in plasma catecholamines could be demonstrated. We postulate that although adrenal medullary catecholamine release occurs in response to the cold pressor test, the blood pressure elevation is independent of such adrenal activity. Sampling radial arterial blood may not reflect changes in plasma levels of peripherally released NA.