ADRENOCORTICAL CAPACITY IN THE ACUTE STAGE OF TUBERCULOUS MENINGITIS

Corticotrophin (ACTH), cortisone and hydrocortisone have been used in conjunction with antibiotics in the treatment of severe infectious diseases (Jahn et al., 1956), sometimes with striking and even life-saving effects.Certainly corticoids are contraindicated in all forms of tuberculosis, but as an adjuvant in intense anti-tuberculous treatment they have been found to be very useful particularly in tuberculous meningitis. In the University Children's Clinic, Helsinki, cortisone and hydrocortisone have been used as a routine adjuvant in the treatment of tuberculous meningitis since early in 1954 (WaszHöckert). The use of gluco-corticoids for severe infectious diseases is considered to be based on their unspecific anti-inflammatory properties, as well as on their beneficial effect in combating the stress-condition caused by the infection.As we were able to use a reliable method for measuring the adrenal function, and since no adrenal function studies have been reported in connection with tuberculous meningitis, the following results