1. We determined the effect of high doses of inhaled corticosteroid (budesonide, BUD, 1600 micrograms/day for 4 weeks) on fasting triglyceride, cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol concentration in 11 asthmatic patients. 2. No significant change of serum fasting triglyceride concentrations was found before and after BUD therapy (p > 0.05). However, serum fasting cholesterol concentration decreased slightly (p = 0.03) and HDL-cholesterol concentrations increased after BUD therapy for four weeks (p = 0.01). 3. These results suggest that high-dose BUD therapy does have minor effects on lipid metabolism after long periods of use in asthmatic patients.