Dry powder inhalers (DPIs) of fluticasone propionate (FP) are the most commonly prescribed inhaled glucocorticosteroid (ICS) devices in Japan because of their ease of use. FP has the strongest anti-inflammatory effects in vitro among ICS, and it has few systemic adverse effects because of its <1% oral bioavailability. However, local adverse effects, especially hoarseness or dysphonia (hoarseness/dysphonia), appear to be frequent. We investigated hoarseness/dysphonia in 313 patients with bronchial asthma who were using or had used the FP-DPI. Overall, 20.4% of FP-DPI users complained of hoarseness/dysphonia, with women and elderly patients complaining of it more frequently; 35.8% of female FP-DPI users > or =65 years of age complained of hoarseness/dysphonia. The prevalence of hoarseness/dysphonia was dose dependent in patients <65 years old but not in patients > or =65 years of age. Inspiratory flow rates adjusted by resistance of the DPIs were not related to the prevalence of hoarseness/dysphonia. In patients using ICS, especially in women and the elderly patients, who develop hoarseness/dysphonia, it is important to select the most suitable device so that patients can continue ICS therapy comfortably.