Effects of inhaled corticosteroids on growth in asthmatic children: A comparison of fluticasone propionate with budesonide

In asthmatic children inhaled corticosteroids are widely used. However, there are some concerns about the systemic adverse effects of these drugs, especially in the growing child. We performed this prospective study in order to compare the effects of 400 μg/day of budesonide (BUD) and 250 μg/day of fluticasone propionate (FP) on growth in prepubertal (aged 4-11.5 years), moderate persisting asthmatic children. One hundred patients (51 boys and 49 girls), who were randomized into two groups, were recruited for the study. The first group was treated with BUD, 2x 200 μg/day, and the second group was treated with FP, 2x 125 μg/day, by using a medium-size volume-spacer metered-dose inhaler. Growth in children with asthma who were treated by inhaled corticosteroids was calculated by growth velocity over a 12-month period. Comparisons between treatment groups were calculated by t-test and chi-square test. There were no significant differences between BUD and FP groups for sex, age, first height, and growth velocity. Moderate persisting, prepubertal asthmatic children treated with 250 μg/day of FP appeared to have no different linear growth than those children who received 400 μg/day of BUD.