Effect of ciclesonide and fluticasone on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in adults with mild-to-moderate persistent asthma.

Background: Despite their proven efficacy in the treatment and prevention of asthma exacerbations, current inhaled corticosteroids carry safety concerns, especially adrenal suppression. Ciclesonide (hydrofluoroalkane propellant) is a novel inhaled corticosteroid with few, if any, clinical adverse events.

Objective: To evaluate the potential effects of ciclesonide therapy on the dynamic cortisol response to sequential low- and high-dose cosyntropin stimulation in adults with mild-to-moderate persistent asthma.