Cortisone Acetate

Research summary

Cortisone acetate serves primarily as glucocorticoid replacement therapy in patients with adrenal insufficiency, where studies compare its metabolic effects and cortisol profiles to other formulations like hydrocortisone or modified-release hydrocortisone. In these contexts, it demonstrates relatively less potent metabolic impacts compared to hydrocortisone, with switches to hydrocortisone leading to increases in body weight, waist circumference, body fat, and glycated hemoglobin. Salivary cortisol profiles with cortisone acetate show supraphysiological exposure versus healthy subjects, though less so than some alternatives, with no major improvements in glycometabolic or bone parameters over long-term follow-up, but potential associations with higher fracture risk. No studies were identified exclusively in healthy human subjects, as research focuses on adrenal insufficiency populations.