Evaluative means for detecting inflammatory reactivity

A method for testing the susceptibility of a mammal to arthritis which comprises the steps of:

• administering to a mammal an amount of mespirenone or tamoxifen effective to stimulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis;
• and
• measuring the level of CRH adrenocorticotropic hormone or corticosterone in the plasma of said mammal between 10 minutes and 4 hours after administration of said mespirenone or tamoxifen.

A method for treatment of inflammatory diseases which comprises the step of:

• administering to a patient suffering from an inflammatory disease, a compound which stimulates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis which is selected from the group consisting of Type 1 mineralocorticoid receptor 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.