Efficacy and Safety of Slow Release Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA )

Inclusion criteria

• . Adult male or female age ≥ 18 and ≤ 50 years at the time of enrollment
• . Evidence of asthma demonstrated by reversibility at visit 0 or by historical methacholine or bronchodilator reversibility if testing was performed under either the 2017 European Respiratory Society (ERS) technical standard (22) or the 1999 American Thoracis Society (ATS) Guidelines (23) or outside studies, provided that full sets of flow volume loops have been reviewed and approved by the PI. These criteria are defined as one of the following:
• . For bronchodilator reversibility: An increase in FEV1 ≥ 10% (24) compared to the baseline (and 200 ml) after up to 8 puffs of albuterol
• . For historical methacholine responsiveness: Positive methacholine defined as Provocative Concentration of Methacholine causing a 20% fall in FEV1 (PC20) ≤ 16 mg/ml, or Provocative Dose of Methacholine causing a 20% fall in FEV1 (PD20) ≤ 400 mcg
• . Physician diagnosis of asthma according to NHLBI guidelines
• . Consistent use of an Inhaled Corticosteroids (ICS) inhaler for the prior 2 months
• . Non-smoker
• . Females must not be pregnant or breastfeeding

Exclusion criteria