Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How IV or near-vein ACTH shots affect dog cortisol tests
By Johnson, C M et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2017·Department of Small Animal Internal Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Effect of Intravenous or Perivascular Injection of Synthetic Adrenocorticotropic Hormone on Stimulation Test Results in Dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 20 dogs, including both healthy dogs and those with hyperadrenocorticism (a condition often treated with trilostane), underwent tests to see if the way adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) was given—either through an IV or around the blood vessel—would affect the results. The tests measured cortisol levels before and after the hormone was administered. The findings showed that there was no significant difference in cortisol levels between the two methods of injection, meaning that both ways of giving ACTH produced similar results. This suggests that veterinarians can use either method without worrying about affecting the test outcomes.
People also search for: dog ACTH stimulation test · hyperadrenocorticism treatment in dogs · cortisol levels in dogs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Standard protocols for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation testing (ACTHst) often involve intravenous (IV) injection of corticotropin. ACTH might be unintentionally injected into the perivascular (PV) space. OBJECTIVE: To compare stimulation test results after IV and PV injections of ACTH. ANIMALS: Twenty privately owned dogs were studied: 10 healthy and 10 with trilostane-treated naturally occurring hyperadrenocorticism (HAC). METHODS: Prospective study. Each of 20 dogs underwent 2 ACTHst not <4 nor more than 14 days apart. Five healthy and 5 HAC dogs had an IV ACTHst first and PV second; 5 healthy and 5 HAC dogs had a PV ACTHst first and IV second. Blood samples for measurement of serum cortisol concentration were collected before and 1 hour after ACTH administration. RESULTS: No significant difference in results was demonstrated when comparing serum cortisol concentrations after IV and PV ACTH administration in all 20 dogs (median μg/dL; interval μg/dL: 8.2; 1.4-17.4 versus 7.8; 0.9-16.9; P = .23). No significant difference in results was demonstrated when comparing serum cortisol concentrations after IV and PV ACTH administration in the 10 healthy dogs (median μg/dL; interval μg/dL: 10.9; 7.3-17.4 versus 10.6; 7.1-16.9; P = .54) or in the 10 HAC dogs (median μg/dL; interval μg/dL: 6.3; 1.4-8.6 versus 5.2; 0.9-8.7; P = .061). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Perivascular administration of ACTH does not significantly alter stimulation test results in healthy dogs or in dogs with HAC undergoing therapy with trilostane.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28407319/