[Adrenal cortex function at different stages of burns]

The blood corticosteroid levels of patients with severe burns were studied at different periods of the disease (burn shock, acute burn toxemia, septicotoxemia). The mean daily blood corticosteroid content in the burnt patients was increased. The most pronounced corticosteroid concentration increase (112.6 +/- 21.7 micrograms %) was seen in patients during burn shock. In toxemia and initial septicotoxemia, the corticosteroid concentration slightly decreased (41.7 +/- 7.1 and 49.4 +/- 5.4 micrograms %, respectively). The blood corticosteroid level abruptly fell to the lower limits of normal in patients during septicotoxemia, complicated with burn exhaustion. Deviations in the blood corticosteroid concentration of the burnt patients within 24 hours significantly differed from the normal circadian rhythm of the blood hormone release.