[Steroid].

It has been more than 60 years since the introduc- tion of glucocorticoid therapy as an effective treatment for patients with inflammatory process. Although glu- cocorticoid therapy has been widely accepted as an essential part of certain clinical settings, long-term administration can suppress the hypothalamic pitu- itary-adrenal axis, causing secondary adrenocortical insufficiency with surgical or medical stress. Periopera- tive glucocorticoid replacement may be required in such circumstances, but the amount of supplementa- tion needed to cover their stress during severe illness or following surgery has not been clearly determined. Recent recommendations for glucocorticoid supplemen- tation suggest that steroid coverage should be based on the duration and dosage of chronic steroid therapy, in addition to the type and probable length of the sur- gery. In this article, we give an overview of the cur- rent strategy for determining optimal dose, frequency, and duration of supplemental steroid for the patients with chronic glucocorticoid therapy.