Table 3.
Cortisol measurements.
| Controls (n = 13) | COPD (n = 10) | P-value | Ratio COPD/healthy (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serum morning cortisol concentration (nmol l−1) | ||||
| At screening | 334 (262–425) | 457 (342–611) | 0.10 | 1.37 (1.00–1.88) |
| After 7 days fluticasone propionate (500 µg BD) | 352 (274–452) | 545 (408–728) | 0.03 | 1.55 (1.12–2.13) |
| After 7 days BDP (1000 µg BD) | 368 (289–469) | 560 (405–774) | 0.04 | 1.52 (1.09–2.13) |
| Weighted mean serum cortisol over 12 h (nmol l−1) | ||||
| After 1000 µg inhaled fluticasone propionate | 93 (66–131) | 170 (113–258) | 0.03 | 1.83 (1.07–3.13) |
| After 1000 µg intravenous fluticasone propionate | 89 (63–126) | 124 (82–127) | 0.22 | 1.38 (0.81–2.37) |
| 24-h urinary cortisol excretion (nmol per 24 h)* | ||||
| At screening | 56 (39–80) | 37 (24–56) | 0.13 | 0.66 (0.38–1.14) |
| After 7 days fluticasone propionate (500 µg BD) | 0 (0–115) | 0 (0–71) | ||
| After 7 days BDP (1000 µg BD) | 0 (0–59) | 7 (0–54) | ||
Data are geometric least square means (95% confidence interval) except for
*
which is median (range). For 24-h urinary cortisol excretion, values below the assay detection limit of 6 nmol per 24 h were recorded as zero. BD, Twice daily.