[The effects on growth velocity of inhaled corticosteroids therapy in children with asthma]. / Efectele glucocorticosteroizilor inhalatori administrati de durata asupra velocitatii cresterii la copiii cu astm bronsic persistent.

INTRODUCTION: Studies have demonstrated growth suppressive effects in case of use of inhaled corticosteroids therapy. OBJECTIVE: To assess growth velocity during 12 months of inhaled corticosteroids therapy in children with persistent asthma. METHODS: Measurements of height were performed in the study group including 109 children with mild and moderately severe, persistent asthma, after 12 month with low or medium doses of either beclomethasone dipropionate or fluticasone propionate. The results were compared with a control group including 71 children with asthma treated with montelukast or cromones. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences between study group and controls concerning the growth velocity after 3 months of inhaled glucocorticoid therapy (GSI). CONCLUSIONS: The velocity of growth was decreased in the study group compared to controls after 3 months of treatment, but the differences become unsignificant after 12 months of therapy.

[The effects of long-term inhaled glucocorticoids on children's bones]. / Efectele glucocorticoizilor administrati de durata, pe cale inhalatorie, la copil, asupra osului.

The authors study, by calcanean ultrasonographic method, the effects of inhaled steroids, administered for long term, on the bone status, in children with persistent asthma. The study group consisted in 33 children with persistent asthma, treated for 12 months with low or moderate doses of either beclomethasone dipropionate or fluticasone propionate. In all of them there were measured the main ultrasonographic parameters, before and after treatment. The results were compared with those recorded in a control group. The control group consisted in 16 children with asthma that did not receive long term inhaled steroids. In the study group the were no statistically significant differences between ultrasonographic parameters measured before and after steroids inhaled treatment. There were no statistically significant differences between ultrasonographic parameters measured after steroid treatment in the study group and the same parameters recorded in the control group. The results of our study reveal that long term inhaled steroids therapy do not influence the bone density at the calcanean level.