Monthly intravenous methylprednisolone in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis - reduction of enhancing lesions, T2 lesion volume and plasma prolactin concentrations

Table 3 Mean [SEM] of plasma hormone concentrations during the baseline and treatment period, and results of neuroendocrinological tests

	Baseline period	Treatment period	p*
Plasma hormone concentrations (means of monthly tests)
Prolactin (ng/ml)	10.2 [0.8]*	8.7 [0.7]*	0.027
Cortisol (ng/ml)	114.4 [23.2]	122.4 [22.8]	n.s.
ACTH (pg/ml)	17.4 [2.3]	19.9 [4.3]	n.s.
DEX-CRH test
CORT max (ng/ml)	39.7 [8]	41.1 [14]	n.s.
CORT AUC	147.5 [30]	152.8 [55]	n.s.
ACTH max (pg/ml)	20.4 [5]	22.5 [11]	n.s.
ACTH AUC	49.4 [7]	46.6 [11]	n.s.
ACTH test
ACTH base (pg/ml)	24.40 [12.21]	28.69 [7.23]	n.s.
CORT base (ng/ml)	175.1 [22.6]	169.9 [22.4]	n.s.
CORT 60 min (ng/ml)	330.7 [59]	275.8 [26.5]	n.s.
Delta Cort (ng/ml)	149.70 [35.67]	163.00 [32.40]	n.s.

ISSN: 1471-2377