Demographic data and short Synacthen test(SST) results for study subjects divided according to the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs)
| No ICS | ICS | p-value | |
| Subjects n | 17 | 33 | |
| Females | 14 (82.4) | 22 (66.7) | 0.33 |
| Males | 3 (17.6) | 11 (33.3) | |
| Age yrs | 62±2 | 64±2 | 0.66 |
| FEV1 % pred | 56.2±4.9 | 54.3±3.5 | 0.76 |
| FEV1/FVC | 61.7±2.3 | 56.5±2.8 | 0.15 |
| KCO % pred | 105.4±6.2 | 103.4±5.2 | 0.90 |
| Taken oral steroid in previous 3 months | 1 (6) | 5 (15) | 0.65 |
| Basal cortisol nmol·L−1 | 412±26 | 400±20 | 0.71 |
| Cortisol post-Synacthen nmol·L−1 | 609±27 | 565±20 | 0.20 |
| ACTH ng·L−1 | 24.3±2.8 | 31.5±3.6 | 0.12 |
| Cortisol increment nmol·L−1 | 197±24 | 165±17 | 0.29 |
| SST test failures | 4 (23.5) | 16 (48.5) | 0.04 |
Data are presented as n (%) or mean±sem, unless otherwise stated. FEV1: forced expiratory volume in one second; % pred: % predicted; FVC: forced vital capacity; KCO: transfer coefficient of the lung for carbon monoxide; ACTH: adrenocorticotropic hormone.