In the abstract given below, the author states; "In protracted and
chronic persistent hepatitis, the children developed immunosuppression and
monotonous hypercortisolemia requiring short-term prednisolone treatment."
I would appreciate it if some one would explain why children with
hypercortisolemia would be given prednisolone. Is there some technical
meaning of "monotonous" that I'm missing? Thanks.
Russ Farris
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As many as 132 children with verified virus hepatitis were examined.
Cortisol content in blood serum was measured and the parameters of
cellular-humoral immunity were determined over time in the acute period and
in the catamnesis up to 1 year. In the cyclic self-limiting forms of
hepatitis B, the children developed immunologic unbalance with progressive
hypercortisolemia, being an adequate reaction of the stressor systems and
not requiring prednisolone administration.
In protracted and chronic persistent hepatitis, the children developed
immunosuppression and monotonous hypercortisolemia requiring short-term
prednisolone treatment.
The children afflicted with the grave and malignant forms of hepatitis B
demonstrated, within the early times of the disease, secondary
immunodeficiency and a considerable drop of cortisol content, demanding
early prednisolone administration.
Balikin VF, Panova LA, Sukharev VM. [Cortisol level and immunosuppression in
viral hepatitis B in children and the approach to its treatment with
glucocorticoids]. Pediatriia 1989;(7):27-32 [Article in Russian]
PMID: 2789367, UI: 89385788