Dopamine effects on adrenocorticotrophin-stimulated aldosterone, cortisol, corticosterone and 11-deoxycorticosteroid concentrations in sodium-replete and sodium-deplete man.

ABSTRACT

The effect of dopamine (1 microgram/kg per min) on corticosteroid response to ACTH (0.1, 1 and 10 ng/kg per min) was compared with that of a placebo in sodium-replete (150 mmol/day) and -deplete (10 mmol/day) normal man. Dopamine had no effect on aldosterone, cortisol or corticosterone responses in either dietary phase, but increased deoxycorticosterone (897.0 +/- 126.4 (S.E.M.) vs 590.0 +/- 84.3 pmol/l, normal Na+; 1264.2 +/- 84.3 vs 764.5 +/- 84.3 pmol/l, low Na+) and deoxycortisol (6.033 +/- 0.583 vs 5.048 +/- 0.680 nmol/l, normal Na+; 5.112 +/- 0.600 vs 4.130 +/- 0.367 nmol/l, low Na+) levels during ACTH administration (all P less than 0.01). Deoxycorticosterone and corticosterone responses to ACTH were greater during sodium depletion than repletion (both P less than 0.01). Dopamine therefore increased 11-deoxycorticosteroid concentrations during ACTH-stimulated steroidogenesis. This may reflect action of dopamine to increase extra-adrenal formation of 11-deoxycorticosteroids.