To determine if severe, chronic, uncontrolled pain patients may alter their adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) serum levels. Fifty-five (55) severe, chronic pain patients who were failing standard medical treatment were tested for an ACTH serum level. Those patients with an abnormal (high or low) serum level were entered into an enhanced pain treatment program and retested in 90–120 days to help determine if pain treatment may normalize abnormal ACTH serum levels. Five (9.4%) patients had a high ACTH serum level, and ten (18.2%) patients had a low ACTH serum level. Of these 15 patients, 13 (86.7%) normalized their ACTH serum levels after 90–120 days of enhanced treatment. The remaining two patients were found to have organic hypopituitarism secondary to traumatic brain injury. Severe, chronic pain may alter serum ACTH levels, and enhanced treatment may normalize serum levels.

中文翻译：

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慢性疼痛中的促肾上腺皮质激素 (ACTH)

确定严重、慢性、不受控制的疼痛患者是否会改变他们的促肾上腺皮质激素 (ACTH) 血清水平。五十五 (55) 名未能通过标准医学治疗的严重慢性疼痛患者接受了 ACTH 血清水平测试。那些血清水平异常（高或低）的患者被纳入增强的疼痛治疗计划，并在 90-120 天内重新测试，以帮助确定疼痛治疗是否可以使异常的 ACTH 血清水平正常化。5 名 (9.4%) 患者的 ACTH 血清水平高，10 名 (18.2%) 患者的 ACTH 血清水平低。在这 15 名患者中，13 名 (86.7%) 在强化治疗 90-120 天后使他们的 ACTH 血清水平恢复正常。其余两名患者被发现有继发于外伤性脑损伤的器质性垂体功能减退症。严重的慢性疼痛可能会改变血清 ACTH 水平，