Comparison of methods for evaluation of the suppressive effects of prednisolone on the HPA axis and bone turnover: changes in s-DHEAS are as sensitive as the ACTH test.

Objective: Different hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function tests are used for diagnosing disease and evaluating suppressive effects of corticosteroid treatment. Our objectives were to evaluate sensitivity and precision of different HPA axis tests to be able to select one that combines good performance with good practicability, suitable for investigation of new corticosteroids in clinical trials.

Methods: In this descriptive, double-blind, parallel-group study, 60 healthy male volunteers were treated with once-daily morning doses of prednisolone for 2 weeks.