Plasma corticosteroid levels in out-patients treated with topical steroids

Plasma corticosteroid levels in 295 out‐patients using halogenated topical steroids were compared with levels in 158 controls. The mean level of the treated patients was 12‐5 /(g/ioo ml compared with 14 μg/100 ml in the controls; 96% of the patients who used topical steroids and 99”,) of the controls had levels of 6 μg/100 ml or more. Five of the six patients whose plasma corticosteroid levels were less than 5μg/100 ml on first sampling had normal values on retesting after an interval of 2 weeks or more.