In 3 separate clinical studies, the effects of CIC (HFA; 320-1280 μg daily) and placebo (PBO), via metered-dose inhaler (ex-actuator doses), over 9 days, 4 or 12 weeks, on basal HPA axis function (24-hour area-under-the-curve [AUC0-24h] serum or urinary cortisol corrected for creatinine) or stimulated (low-dose [1 μg] cosyntropin) serum cortisol were investigated in patients ( 18 years) with persistent asthma.