Ge. Larochelle et al., RECOVERY OF THE HYPOTHALAMIC-PITUITARY-ADRENAL (HPA) AXIS IN PATIENTSWITH RHEUMATIC DISEASES RECEIVING LOW-DOSE PREDNISONE, The American journal of medicine, 95(3), 1993, pp. 258-264
PURPOSE: To assess the status of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (H
PA) axis in corticosteroid-treated patients whose prednisone dose had
been tapered to physiologic doses. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The design of
the study was a retrospective chart review of 50 consecutive patients
receiving 10 mg or less of prednisone daily at a university teaching
hospital rheumatology clinic. Patients were given a rapid adrenocortic
otropic hormone stimulation test, with cortisol levels obtained at bas
eline and after intravenous administration of cosyntropin. Charts were
reviewed for duration of therapy, highest, current, and total cumulat
ive steroid dose, and average daily steroid dose in each month of the
preceding 2 years. RESULTS: Current steroid dose was the only signific
ant indicator of HPA axis function. Patients receiving less than 5 mg
of prednisone daily had a normal HPA axis response, whereas those rece
iving 5 mg or more had widely varied responses. Neither the total, the
highest prednisone dose, nor the duration of therapy was a significan
t indicator of HPA axis recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Spontaneous recovery of
the HPA axis is usual for patients who are taking prednisone at daily
doses of 5 mg or less. Return of normal HPA axis function can be achi
eved without alternate-day therapy in patients whose disease allows ta
pering to daily prednisone doses of 5 mg or less.