The Journal of allergy and clinical immunology
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J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. · Jul 2001
ReviewEffects of intranasal corticosteroids on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in children.
In adults, morning plasma cortisol levels are twice that of late afternoon and evening values. In children, a delay in the time of onset in peak cortisol levels has been observed in those treated with inhaled corticosteroids. Consequently, the single morning cortisol level has a low sensitivity for detecting adrenal insufficiency in children. ⋯ No effects on the HPA axis were detected in either children or adults. It is unlikely that children are more sensitive to corticosteroids than are adults. There seems to be little point in performing routine monitoring of adrenal function in children who are treated with intranasal corticosteroid treatment.