Use of inhaled glucocorticoids in children results in a deficit in the final adult height.
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Inhaled glucocorticoids have been found to reduce growth velocity to some extent during the first few years of treatment. The growth velocity returns to normal later.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine evaluated if this initial decrease in growth velocity had any effect on the final adult height. This study was a part of a larger trial evaluating the benefits and safety of some anti-asthma medications.
The 1041 children included in the study were between the ages of 5 and 13 years and were suffering from mild-to-moderate asthma. They were divided into three groups. The first group received 200μg of budesonide (a glucocorticoid) by inhalation twice daily, the second group received 8mg of nedocromil by inhalation twice daily, and the third group received placebo. The participants received the medication for 4 to 6 years. Salbutamol was used for asthma symptoms in all the three groups.
Height and weight was measured every 6 months during the first four and a half years of study, followed by 1 to 2 times a year for the next 8 years. Adult height was measured in around 90% of the study subjects.
The mean adult height was found to be 1.2 cm lower in the budesonide group as compared to the placebo group. A larger dose in the first 2 years of treatment was also associated with a lower adult height. During the first 2 years of treatment, height was mainly decreased in those subjects who had not reached puberty.
Reference:
Source-Medindia