1 The Harriet Lane Home Service of the Children's Medical and Surgical Center, Johns Hopkins Hospital and University, Baltimore, Maryland
Aldosterone secretion rates (ASR) were determined in 46 normal infants and children and in 15 normal adults. The values obtained in all subjects over 1 week of age had an overall mean of 81 µg/24 hours with a range of 25 to 162 µg/24 hours. In the group of subjects whose surface area was less than 0.8 M2, there was a significant correlation between ASR and body surface area. However, the ASH's of the adults were not statistically different from the olden infants and children, reflecting the great overlapping of values in the various age groups. The ASR's of the seven infants were significantly lower than those of the other subjects (mean = 23 µg/24 hours). The response to low sodium intake in 12 infants and young children was similar to that observed in adults. When the values for the excretion of the 3-oxoconjugate were compared to the secretion rates, a significant correlation was obtained but certain individual subjects deviated markedly from the average. The importance of determining the ASR rather than depending on excretion of a metabolic product to evaluate adrenal function is discussed.
Submitted on August 22, 1966