Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26294794›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of endocrinology2015

Adrenal suppression in patients taking inhaled glucocorticoids is highly prevalent and management can be guided by morning cortisol.

Conor P Woods, Nicola Argese, Matthew Chapman, Christopher Boot, Rachel Webster, Vijay Dabhi, Ashley B Grossman, Andrew A Toogood, Wiebke Arlt, Paul M Stewart and 2 more

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In one paragraph

Article in European journal of endocrinology, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 64 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
64citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
7.4field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

64 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 148 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Guideline
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  5. The 40Journal of clinical research in pediatric endocrinology · 2026
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  17. Iatrogenic adrenal insufficiency in adults.Nature reviews. Endocrinology · 2024
    Review
  18. Review
  19. Article
  20. Review

4 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.

Conor P WoodsOxford Centre for Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM)NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Churchill Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UKCentre for EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, University of Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyFaculty of Medicine and Psychology, St Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartments of BiochemistryHealth InformaticsQueen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyUniversity of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Nicola ArgeseOxford Centre for Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM)NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Churchill Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UKCentre for EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, University of Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyFaculty of Medicine and Psychology, St Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartments of BiochemistryHealth InformaticsQueen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyUniversity of Leeds, Leeds, UK Oxford Centre for Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM)NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Churchill Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UKCentre for EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, University of Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyFaculty of Medicine and Psychology, St Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartments of BiochemistryHealth InformaticsQueen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyUniversity of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Matthew ChapmanOxford Centre for Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM)NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Churchill Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UKCentre for EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, University of Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyFaculty of Medicine and Psychology, St Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartments of BiochemistryHealth InformaticsQueen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyUniversity of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Christopher BootOxford Centre for Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM)NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Churchill Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UKCentre for EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, University of Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyFaculty of Medicine and Psychology, St Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartments of BiochemistryHealth InformaticsQueen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyUniversity of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Rachel WebsterOxford Centre for Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM)NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Churchill Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UKCentre for EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, University of Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyFaculty of Medicine and Psychology, St Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartments of BiochemistryHealth InformaticsQueen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyUniversity of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Vijay DabhiOxford Centre for Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM)NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Churchill Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UKCentre for EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, University of Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyFaculty of Medicine and Psychology, St Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartments of BiochemistryHealth InformaticsQueen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyUniversity of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Ashley B GrossmanOxford Centre for Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM)NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Churchill Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UKCentre for EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, University of Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyFaculty of Medicine and Psychology, St Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartments of BiochemistryHealth InformaticsQueen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyUniversity of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Andrew A ToogoodOxford Centre for Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM)NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Churchill Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UKCentre for EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, University of Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyFaculty of Medicine and Psychology, St Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartments of BiochemistryHealth InformaticsQueen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyUniversity of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Wiebke ArltOxford Centre for Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM)NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Churchill Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UKCentre for EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, University of Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyFaculty of Medicine and Psychology, St Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartments of BiochemistryHealth InformaticsQueen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyUniversity of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Paul M StewartOxford Centre for Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM)NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Churchill Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UKCentre for EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, University of Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyFaculty of Medicine and Psychology, St Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartments of BiochemistryHealth InformaticsQueen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyUniversity of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Rachel K CrowleyOxford Centre for Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM)NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Churchill Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UKCentre for EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, University of Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyFaculty of Medicine and Psychology, St Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartments of BiochemistryHealth InformaticsQueen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyUniversity of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Jeremy W TomlinsonOxford Centre for Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolism (OCDEM)NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Churchill Hospital, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LJ, UKCentre for EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, University of Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyFaculty of Medicine and Psychology, St Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, ItalyDepartments of BiochemistryHealth InformaticsQueen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham B15 2TH, UKDepartment of EndocrinologyUniversity of Leeds, Leeds, UK jeremy.tomlinson@ocdem.ox.ac.uk.
University of Oxford · GBOxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism · GBUniversity Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust · GBUniversity of Birmingham · GBChurchill Hospital · GBQueen Elizabeth Hospital · GB

Funding

Medical Research Council G0801473Medical Research Council G0802765Medical Research Council G0900567Medical Research Council G116/172
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

contextUp to 3% of US and UK populations are prescribed glucocorticoids (GC). Suppression of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis with the potential risk of adrenal crisis is a recognized complication of therapy. The 250 μg short Synacthen stimulation test (SST) is the most commonly used dynamic assessment to diagnose adrenal insufficiency. There are challenges to the use of the SST in routine clinical practice, including both the staff and time constraints and a significant recent increase in Synacthen cost.

methodsWe performed a retrospective analysis to determine the prevalence of adrenal suppression due to prescribed GCs and the utility of a morning serum cortisol for rapid assessment of adrenal reserve in the routine clinical setting.

resultsIn total, 2773 patients underwent 3603 SSTs in a large secondary/tertiary centre between 2008 and 2013 and 17.9% (n=496) failed the SST. Of 404 patients taking oral, topical, intranasal or inhaled GC therapy for non-endocrine conditions, 33.2% (n=134) had a subnormal SST response. In patients taking inhaled GCs without additional GC therapy, 20.5% (34/166) failed an SST and suppression of adrenal function increased in a dose-dependent fashion. Using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis in patients currently taking inhaled GCs, a basal cortisol ≥348 nmol/l provided 100% specificity for passing the SST; a cortisol value <34 nmol/l had 100% sensitivity for SST failure. Using these cut-offs, 50% (n=83) of SSTs performed on patients prescribed inhaled GCs were unnecessary.

conclusionAdrenal suppression due to GC treatment, particularly inhaled GCs, is common. A basal serum cortisol concentration has utility in helping determine which patients should undergo dynamic assessment of adrenal function.

Indexed as

CosyntropinAdministration, InhalationAdrenal InsufficiencyAdultGlucocorticoidsHumansHydrocortisoneHypothalamo-Hypophyseal SystemPituitary-Adrenal SystemPrevalenceRetrospective StudiesUnited KingdomCosyntropinGlucocorticoidsHydrocortisone

Identifiers

PMID26294794
PMCPMC4588051
OpenAlexW2117978928

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.