Topical corticosteroid therapy and pituitary-adrenal function
T. Krupin, A. I. Mandell, S. M. Podos and B. Becker
Systemic absorption has been reported after the use of corticosteroid eye
drops. Prolonged use could result in adrenocortical insufficiency and an
associated adrenal crisis under stressful situations. For that reason, we
studied the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis of patients receiving
corticosteroid eye drope. Fifteen patients were given 0.1% dexamethasone
sodium phosphate eye drops, one drop (approximately 1/30 ml) to each eye
four times a day for six weeks. This dosage resulted in partial adrenal
suppression, manifested by reduced levels of plasma cortisol. However, in
each case, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, as evaluated with the
use of the oral metyrapone tartrate test, was intact.
