[Intolerance to hydrocortisone in two patients with bronchial asthma]

One patients with nonatopic aspirin-sensitive asthma and another one with atopic asthma responding favourably to aspirin with a history of hydrocortisone intolerance were examined. The patients were challenged with intravenous, inhaled and oral hydrocortisone and its solvent. They showed significant fall of FEV1 after provocation tests with hydrocortisone but not after the solvent. Intradermal skin testing performed with hydrocortisone and its solvent was negative, what suggests that the intolerance to hydrocortisone was probably nonallergic feature. The patients tolerated well the intravenous challenge with prednisolone and oral challenge with prednisone, prednisolone and betamethasone. We suggest the replacement of intravenous hydrocortisone with these corticosteroids in the treatment of patients with hydrocortisone intolerance.