Allergy Asthma Respir Dis.  2014 Sep;2(4):285-292. 10.4168/aard.2014.2.4.285.

Suppressive effects of long-term treatment with inhaled steroids on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in asthma

• Sim DW
• Choi IS
• Kim SH

• KMID: 2262397
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4168/aard.2014.2.4.285

Abstract

PURPOSE
Long-term treatment with inhaled steroids (ICS), especially fluticasone that developed lately, may suppress the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This study investigated the relationship between ICS use and HPA axis suppression in asthmatics under ICS treatment for average 4.5 years.
METHODS
The medical records of 129 adult asthmatics who received ICS treatment for 6 months or more and underwent a corticotropin stimulation test from January 2005 to August 2013 were retrospectively reviewed.
RESULTS
The patients received ICS only (n=87) were found to have an abnormal response to the corticotropin test in as high as 32.2%, and those received ICS in combination with oral steroids (n=42) had a significantly higher prevalence of the response (71.4%, P<0.001). Abnormal responses to corticotropin occurred depending on ICS daily doses (low, n=8, 12.5%; medium, n=19, 36.8%; high, n=102, 49.0%; chi2=4.384, P=0.036). Among the subjects received ICS only, nasal steroid doses (P=0.016) but not ICS doses (P=0.159) were significantly higher in those with abnormal responses than the others. Among all the subjects, oral steroid use (odds ratio [OR], 4.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.35-11.80; P<0.001) and nasal steroid dose (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.00-1.04; P=0.015) were significant risk factors for HPA axis suppression.
CONCLUSION
One-third of asthmatics under long-term treatment with ICS showed a suppression of the HPA axis in a dose-dependent manner. Oral or nasal steroid use may be a risk factor for the suppression. However, since our results may have been overestimated due to subject selection bias, further prospective case-control studies are warranted.

Keyword

Adrenal glands; Asthma; Fluticasone; Steroids; Suppression

MeSH Terms

Adrenal Glands
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
Adult
Asthma*
Axis, Cervical Vertebra*
Case-Control Studies
Humans
Medical Records
Prevalence
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Selection Bias
Steroids*
Fluticasone
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
Steroids

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Comparison of adrenal suppression markers (morning cortisol ≤3 µg/dL [A], serum cortisol <18 µg/dL before and 60 minutes after administration of 250-µg ACTH [B], and adrenal insufficiency determined by abnormal ACTH test response or morning cortisol ≤3 µg/dL [C]) between asthma patients used inhaled steroid (ICS) only and those used inhaled +oral steroids (OCS). ACTH, adrenocorticotrophic hormone.

• 

  Fig. 2 Comparison of adrenal suppression markers (morning cortisol ≤3µg/dL [A], serum cortisol <18 µg/dL before and 60 minutes after administration of 250-µg ACTH [B], and adrenal insufficiency determined by abnormal ACTH test response or morning cortisol ≤3 µg/dL [C]) among asthma patient groups classified according to the daily doses of inhaled steroids. ACTH, adrenocorticotrophic hormone.

• 

  Fig. 3 Correlation between serum cortisol levels at 60 minutes after administration of 250-µg adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and oral (A), nasal (B), or inhaled steroid doses (C).

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