Cardiovascular, Hepatic and Renal Lesions in Mice Receiving Cortisone, Estrone, and Progesterone †

In mice receiving large amounts of cortisone for one week the total incidence of pericarditis, myocarditis, and of abscesses in kidneys, liver and myocardium was approximately 20 per cent. Simultaneous administration of cortisone and androgen increased the incidence of such lesions.' In these experiments myocardial necrosis occurred almost entirely in association with the inflammatory lesions mentioned above.' This report considers effects of cortisone, estrone and progesterone, and of combinations of cortisone and these ovarian hormones. The cortisone plus estrone combination produced a high incidence of myocardial and arterial lesions which was not associated in a majority of the cases with concurrent pericarditis or abscesses within the heart or other organs.