Inventors:
Esther M. Sternberg - Chevy Chase MD
Philip W. Gold - Washington DC
Samuel W. Page - Silver Spring MD
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health
and Human Services - Washington DC
International Classification:
G01N 100
G01N 3348
A61K 3760
A61K 4505
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a method for testing the susceptibility of a mammal to inflammatory diseases which comprises the steps of: administering to a mammal a compound selected from the group consisting of Type 1 mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, opiate antagonists, estrogen antagonists or mixed estrogen agonists/antagonists, progesterone agonists; or a combination of an estrogen antagonist with one or a combination of a Type I glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, a Type II glucocorticoid agonist or a progesterone agonist which is effective in stimulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis; and measuring the level of at least one hormone secreted by the hypothalamus, pituitary or adrenal glands of said mammal. The present invention is also directed to methods of treating inflammatory diseases.