Effects of Dexamethasone and Aspirin on the Responses to Endotoxin in Man1

We have investigated the effects of aspirin and dexamethasone on the fever, clinical symptoms, granulocyte response, plasma cortisol and growth hormone levels produced by bacterial endotoxin. Dexamethasone and, to a lesser extent, aspirin suppressed much of the fever and undesirable symptoms. Granulocyte response was enhanced by dexamethasone but was unchanged by aspirin. The increase in plasma cortisol levels was unaffected by these antipyretic agents, although dexamethasone diminished the number of positive growth hormone responses to endotoxin. There was no correlation between fever and either plasma cortisol or growth hormone response.