title: Alternatives for measuring endogenous adrenocortical activity in asthmatics treated with inhaled corticosteroids.
abstract: We compared a 12-hour, hourly integrated plasma cortisol profile in asthmatics treated with a corticosteroids with a variety of modified methods based on less frequent blood sampling. Excellent agreement with the reference was observed for sampling at 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. (correlation coefficient of 0.97; 95 % confidence interval 0.97, 0.98); at 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. (r = 0. 95; 0. 94, 0.96); at 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. (r = 0.94; 0.93, 0.95); every 2 hours (r = 0. 96; 0.96, 0.97); and every 3 hours (r = 0. 91, 0.91, 0.93). The two-sample alternatives (10 p.m/8 a.m. and 9 p.m/7 a.m.) are accurate, as well as more convenient, economical, and practical.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, MC HO41, 500 University Drive, Milton S. Hersley Medical Center, Hershey, PA 17033, USA. Lara_buyantseva@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Larisa V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Buyantseva
authors.forename: Vernon M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Chinchilli
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tulchinsky
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bascom
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D006854:Hydrocortisone