avoid inhaled corticosteroids in paediatric asthma?

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Inpharma 1260 - 21 Oct 2000 Avoid inhaled corticosteroids in paediatric asthma? ‘It may be prudent to avoid the use of inhaled corticosteroids in young children with very mild asthma’, say Drs Mary Ellen Wohl and Joseph Majzoub from Children’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, US. They discuss the results of 2 studies which showed that the use of inhaled budesonide in children with asthma led to a reduction in growth velocity during the first year of treatment. * However, recovery of growth velocity and attainment of a normal adult height was achieved with ongoing treatment. One of the above-mentioned studies, conducted by researchers from the Childhood Asthma Management Program Research Group, compared the use of inhaled budesonide with that of nedocromil or placebo in children aged 5–12 years who had mild-to-moderate asthma, say Drs Wohl and Majzoub. They note that while ‘it is reassuring that the reductions in growth velocity observed in the first year of budesonide treatment were not sustained during continued treatment . . . a cautionary note is warranted’. They explain that the level of sexual maturation, which was not reported by these researchers, ‘could have influenced growth, regardless of treatment’. Drs Wohl and Majzoub also note that ‘the reassuring message about skeletal growth may not apply to the growth of other organs, such as the brain and the lung’. They add that ‘the sparseness of the data on the influence of corticosteroids on organ development cautions against extending the beneficial findings of the [above- mentioned] studies . . . to young children, particularly those with relatively mild disease’. * see Inpharma 1260: 12, 21 Oct 2000; see Inpharma 1260 p12; 800839604 and Inpharma 1260: 19, 21 Oct 2000; see Inpharma 1260 p19; 800839605 Wohl MEB, et al. Asthma, steroids, and growth. New England Journal of Medicine 343: 1113-1114, 12 Oct 2000 800839606 1 Inpharma 21 Oct 2000 No. 1260 1173-8324/10/1260-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved

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Inpharma 1260 - 21 Oct 2000

Avoid inhaled corticosteroids inpaediatric asthma?

‘It may be prudent to avoid the use of inhaledcorticosteroids in young children with very mild asthma’,say Drs Mary Ellen Wohl and Joseph Majzoub fromChildren’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, US.

They discuss the results of 2 studies which showedthat the use of inhaled budesonide in children withasthma led to a reduction in growth velocity during thefirst year of treatment.* However, recovery of growthvelocity and attainment of a normal adult height wasachieved with ongoing treatment.

One of the above-mentioned studies, conducted byresearchers from the Childhood Asthma ManagementProgram Research Group, compared the use of inhaledbudesonide with that of nedocromil or placebo inchildren aged 5–12 years who had mild-to-moderateasthma, say Drs Wohl and Majzoub. They note thatwhile ‘it is reassuring that the reductions in growthvelocity observed in the first year of budesonidetreatment were not sustained during continuedtreatment . . . a cautionary note is warranted’. Theyexplain that the level of sexual maturation, which wasnot reported by these researchers, ‘could haveinfluenced growth, regardless of treatment’.

Drs Wohl and Majzoub also note that ‘the reassuringmessage about skeletal growth may not apply to thegrowth of other organs, such as the brain and the lung’.They add that ‘the sparseness of the data on the influenceof corticosteroids on organ development cautions againstextending the beneficial findings of the [above-mentioned] studies . . . to young children, particularlythose with relatively mild disease’.* see Inpharma 1260: 12, 21 Oct 2000; see Inpharma 1260 p12;800839604 and Inpharma 1260: 19, 21 Oct 2000; see Inpharma 1260p19; 800839605

Wohl MEB, et al. Asthma, steroids, and growth. New England Journal of Medicine343: 1113-1114, 12 Oct 2000 800839606

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Inpharma 21 Oct 2000 No. 12601173-8324/10/1260-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved