Total and unbound cortisol-, progesterone-, oestrone- and transcortin-binding activities in sera from patients with myocardial infarction: evidence for differential responses of good and bad prognostic cases

• Published in: European journal of clinical investigation Vol. 15; no. 6; p. 365
• Main Authors: Zouaghi, H, Savu, L, Guerot, C, Gryman, R, Coulon, A, Nunez, E A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.12.1985
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Carrier Proteins - blood; Estrone - blood; Female; Humans; Hydrocortisone - blood; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction - blood; Progesterone - blood; Prognosis; Steroids - blood; Transcortin - metabolism
• ISSN: 0014-2972
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2362.1985.tb00286.x

Day-of-admission sera from myocardial infarction patients (MI) and patients with cardiopathies other than MI (non-MI) were analysed for total and unbound cortisol (F), progesterone (P4), oestrone (E1), and corticosteroid binding activities (CBG). The MI who survived (n = 28) showed high increases of F, P4 and E1 compared to healthy controls. By contrast, the MI who died within 10 days of admission (n = 6) had unchanged F and less increased P4 and E1 than survivors. The non-MI (n = 6) had higher F and E1 than controls but normal P4. The unbound steroids were increased in all patients: however, the MI who died showed much smaller rises than survivors (P less than 0.001 for unbound F and E1 increases in survivors vs. deceased). The CBG activity was in all MI lower than in normals (P less than 0.001) but unchanged in non-MI. These results are discussed in terms of the potential significance of unbound plasma steroids as predictors of MI severity.