Studies concerning the role of the adrenal cortex in the pathologic physiology of diabetic acidosis. II. The identification of adrenal-conditioned factors in the physiologic reaction to the stress of insulin deprivation.

In a descriptive study designed to correlate changes in the level of adrenal cortical function with other metabolic phenomena occurring during the evolution of experimental diabetic acidosis it was observed (1) that eosinopenia and an increase in the rate of corticosteroid excretion are comparatively late features of ketoacidosis induced by the omission of insulin. A close temporal relation was found to obtain between evidences of increased adrenal activity and the following metabolic events: (a) An acceleration in the rate of catabolism of protoplasm; (b) a loss of potassium in excess of nitrogen; and (c) a decreased sensitivity to injected insulin. In some, but not all, experiments it appeared that adrenal activation was related in time to the occurrence of increased lipemia and ketonemia as well. In this paper are presented the results of experiments designed to ascertain whether the above events, temporally linked to increased adrenal activity, can, in fact, be regarded as adrenal conditioned. The postulates underlying these experiments are that metabolic reactions dependent upon increased adrenal activity for their initiation or maintenance should be susceptible to: (a) Premature induction by exogenous stimulation of the adrenal cortex during mild stress; and (b) diminution or suppression by maintenance of a fixed