Metabolic clearance rate of plasma deoxycorticosterone sulfate in men and women.

In the present investigation, we determined the metabolic clearance rate of plasma deoxycorticosterone sulfate in adult men and nonpregnant women and in one women pregnant at 42 weeks gestation with an anencephalic fetus. The values obtained varied from 618 to 10701/24 h. The metabolic clearance rate of deoxycorticosterone sulfate, expressed as a function of body surface area, was 495 +/- 31.71/24 h/m2 (mean +/- SEM) and was not significantly different among men and nonpregnant women. In a woman pregnant with an anencephalic fetus at 42 weeks gestation, the metabolic clearance rate of deoxycorticosterone sulfate was 6441/24 h/m2. We suggest that the high clearance rate of this steroid 21-sulfate, compared with those of other steroid sulfates, is due to rapid excretion of deoxycorticosterone sulfate into bile and irreversible metabolism in intestine by bacterial enzymes.