Adrenal function & the pattern of glucocorticoid induced eosinopenia in tropical pulmonary eosinophilia.

Plasma cortisol levels were estimated in 16 patients with tropical pulmonary eosinophilia (TPE; group A) by radioimmunoassay using 125 I labelled cortisol. The cortisol levels showed diurnal variation, the mean levels were 10.22 ± 4.5 μg/dl for the morning samples and 4.91 ± 2 μg/dl for the night samples respectively and were within normal limits. Another six patients with TPE included in the study (group B) had an initial mean plasma cortisol level of 5.83 ± 1.33 μg/dl. Half an hour after intramuscular administration of 250 μg of Synacthen (a synthetic glucocorticoid with corticotrophic activity), the mean cortisol level showed a significant rise up to 14.7 ± 3.54 μg/dl (P<0.01) thus indicating normal adrenocorticohypophysial functions in TPE