Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate concentrations in asthmatic patients: pilot study.

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-SO4) values were measured as a guide to adrenal function in 72 asthmatic patients admitted to the Waikato Hospital with severe bronchospasm. In a reference sample 700 micrograms/l was taken as the lower limit of the reference range for DHEA-SO4 concentrations. All DHEA-SO4 values in 20 patients with known primary or secondary adrenal insufficiency were less than this value. In the asthmatic group, 10 of 14 DHEA-SO4 values were low in patients taking oral steroid therapy, eight of 23 values in patients taking inhaled steroids, and six of 29 values in patients on no known steroid therapy. Five of six patients who had been on oral steroids within a month of admission also had low values. In total 40% of all values were less than 700 micrograms/l. These data provide inferential evidence of possible adrenal suppression in a substantial number of patients requiring hospital admission for treatment of severe bronchospasm.