Growth deceleration of children on inhaled corticosteroids is compensated for after the first 12 months of treatment

Timing and duration of linear growth suppression in children on long-term inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are not entirely clear; we undertook a "pragmatic" study to determine growth of asthmatic children on long-term ICS managed by a flexible dosing step-down approach. Standard deviation scores of height (HSDS), height velocity (HVSDS), and body mass index (BMISDS) of pre-pubertal asthmatic children on maintenance therapy with either budesonide (BUD) or fluticasone propionate (FP) were calculated in a prospective open-label non-randomized study. Outcomes were recorded at initiation of ICS, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months, as applicable, and 6 months after ICS treatment discontinuation. Three hundred twenty-two children on BUD and 319 on FP were enrolled after the completion of 6-month treatment. The median (range) daily dose at initiation was 400 mcg (400-1,200) and 200 mcg (200-500), the final maintenance 200 mcg (200-400) and 100 mcg (100-200), respectively. In the first 6-12 months, a decrease in HSDS of approximately 18% below baseline values was noted (P < 0.01) that was restored to almost baseline average levels by 24 months, and slightly increased to above baseline during the third year. HVSDS showed a linear increase in both treatment arms (P < 0.01). No differences were found between the two treatment arms regarding HSDS, HVSDS, and BMISDS at any time point over the course of the study. In conclusion, growth deceleration of asthmatic children on maintenance ICS is compensated for after the first 12 months of treatment. This effect does not differ between BUD and FP treatment, despite some variation in the pattern of linear growth.