Recovery of pituitary-adrenal axis after withdrawal or reduction of systemic corticosteroids in patients with bronchial asthma.

In 36 patients with bronchial asthma a new inhalable corticosteroid (Fluocortin-butyl-ester) was administered to reduce systemic steroids and especially to study the recovery of pituitary-adrenal function. On the basis of the present results, it can be said that patients with the least degree of emphysema and obstruction and with good coughing dynamics and productive expectoration are most suitable for therapy with inhalable corticosteroids. If the systemic steroid reduction is adequate, the recovery phase of the pituitary-adrenocortical system begins after about 5 months and the response to ACTH appraoches normal values after about 8-9 months. About 4 mg prednisolone-equivalent per day can be assumed to be the systemically effective limiting dose. The reducibility as a percentage of the initial dose-regardless of its absolute value- and the maintenance dose achieved also appear to be of equal importance for the recovery of the functional reserve of the pituitary-adrenocortical system. No relationship to the duration of the disease and the initial steroid dose could be demonstrated. The clinical picture of the corticosteroid withdrawal syndrome is dependent on endogenous cortisol synthesis. The symptoms disappear spontaneously with increasing synthesis.