ACTH

ACTH – ADRENOCORTICOTROPIC HORMONE:

CLINICAL INFORMATION :

ACTH test is often done along with a cortisol test to diagnose disorders or malfunctioning of the pituitary or the adrenal glands (high or low levels of cortisol). This includes disorders like Cushing’s syndrome =-due to tumor of the pituitary (a disorder of the adrenal that makes too much cortisol hormone), Addison’s disease (low levels of cortisol due to failure of adrenals), over-active tumor-forming endocrine glands (MEN) or ectopic ACTH-producing tumors (i.e. lungs), and/or due to tumor in the pituitary gland or due to steroid hormone therapy, tumors of the adrenal gland or hypopituitarism. Symptoms of high ACTH include weight gain, and fatty tissue deposits – particularly around the mid-section and upper back, distribution of fat in the face (moon-face) and between the shoulders (buffalo hump). Pink or purple stretch marks (striae) on the skin of the abdomen, thighs, breasts, and arms. Thinning, fragile skin that bruises easily. Low levels of ACTH indicate medications such as glucocorticoids which suppress ACTH production. It could also result when the pituitary is not secreting sufficient pituitary hormones (hypopituitarism). The signs and symptoms of ACTH deficiency can either be congenital or acquired and its manifestations are clinically indistinguishable from those of glucocorticoid deficiency. Symptoms include weight loss, lack of appetite (anorexia), muscle weakness, nausea and vomiting, low blood pressure (hypotension).  Other tests include Radio-immunoassay, ELISA, etc.

General Instructions:

Sample Requirement: Specimen - Blood sample drawn from the vein. Test Preparation: Overnight Fasting.

NOTE - Sample for specimen collections may vary based on the patient’s condition/cases according to the patient’s presentingcomplaints / signs or symptoms:

SPECIMEN REQUIREMENT (Special or Rare Cases) - As instructed and guided by Physician / Clinician / Pathologist / as per Laboratory’s requirements, according to procedures and protocols.   

This Multi-Specialty Clinical Referral Laboratory “RTDIAGNOSTICS” provides precise and accurate tests with an extensive range of testing services to the medical centers to help in the diagnosis and identification of pathology in the test specimens for infectious diseases and also to evaluate the function of organ systems of the patient. It prevents further complications and helps to stabilize and restore health to near normalcy at the earliest without delay.