Nature 179, 1137 - 1138 (01 June 1957); doi:10.1038/1791137a0

Reversal by Diethyl-Stilbstrol of the Depressant Effect of Cortisone on the Phagocytic Activity of the Reticulo-endothelial System

T. NICOL & D. L. J. BILBEY

Department of Anatomy, King's College, London, W.C.2. May 22.

MUCH has already been published showing that cortisone depresses the reaction of the body to common bacterial infections in both animals and man¹. In the human subject there is evidence that it may induce activity in a quiescent tuberculous lesion², while sudden death from acute fulminating pneumonia has been recorded in cases of rheumatoid arthritis under treatment with cortisone. It is, however, now accepted that severe intercurrent infection tends to occur only when large doses are given, and Wayne³is of the opinion that the critical dose of cortisone in the human subject is about 75 mgm. per day, since adverse side-effects commonly develop in patients receiving more than 100 mgm. daily.

1. Thomas, L. , Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 56, 799 (1953). | PubMed | ChemPort |
2. Hart, P. D'A. , and Rees, R. J. W. , Lancet, ii, 391 (1950).
3. Wayne, E. J. , Practitioner, 175, 546 (1955). | PubMed | ChemPort |
4. Nicol, T. , Snell, R. S. , and Bilbey, D. L. J. , Brit. Med. J., ii, 800 (1956).
5. Nicol, T. , Helmy, I. D. , and Abou-Zikry, A. , Brit. J. Surg., 40, 166 (1952). | PubMed | ISI | ChemPort |
6. Halpern, B. N. , Benacerraf, B. , and Biozzi, G. , Brit. J. Exp. Path., 34, 426 (1953). | PubMed | ISI | ChemPort |
7. Nicol, T. , and Snell, R. S. , Nature, 177, 430 (1956). | Article | PubMed | ChemPort |