The role of corticosterone in congenital adrenal hyperplasia

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  The importance of corticosterone on adrenal androgen suppression and metabolic outcomes in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia

• IRAS ID

  193543

• Contact name

  Catriona Kyle

• Contact email

  ckyle2@exseed.ed.ac.uk

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 0 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a genetic condition where the body is unable to produce glucocorticoids (a stress hormone) and mineralocorticoids (hormones which control blood pressure and salt levels in the blood). Cortisol is the major glucocorticoid in humans, but there is a second called corticosterone. While cortisol is replaced in humans with CAH as the primary form of treatment, the role and importance of corticosterone is not well understood. We plan to look at the effects of corticosterone in patients with CAH. We will perform a randomised crossover study comparing the effects of corticosterone and cortisol (and placebo) in 16 patients with classic CAH, measuring whether corticosterone suppresses adrenal androgen production as effectively as cortisol and measure it's effects on insulin resistance, blood pressure and bone turnover. This research will give us a better understanding of whether corticosterone deficiency contributes to the poor outcomes seen in CAH.

• REC name

  South East Scotland REC 02

• REC reference

  16/SS/0045

• Date of REC Opinion

  4 Mar 2016

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion