Data on Transcortin Activity in Human Plasma as Studied by Gel Filtration

The cortisol-binding capacity (CBC) of human plasma transcortin has been measured by means of gel filtration at room temperature in more than 1700 subjects. The between-person variation in “normal” populations was small and amounted to about 10 %. The CBC is not influenced by age throughout the adult life but prepuberal boys have definitely higher values. The CBC remains at the high prepuberal value in boys with retarded growth and delayed puberty but is at the normal adult level in adolescents and in adults both male and female with disorders in gonadal development. In 3 groups of normal high school boys a bimodal distribution of CBC values was found. The CBC is normal in Addison's disease as well as in a score of other diseases, but was lowered in 3 out of 8 patients with Cushing's disease and this even after surgical correction of their hypercorticism. The CBC values were also low in patients with multiple myeloma in the active phase. Administration of prednisolone, testosterone, progestogens, clomiphene citrate and, of course, estrogens, i.e., as present in ovulation-blocking agents, influences the CBC determinations by various mechanisms. Pregnancy increases the CBC up to about 2-fold the initial values. The prognostic value of this index as to placental adequacy and fetal viability is important during the third trimester of pregnancy and to a minor degree in the second trimester.