Fluticasone and beclometasone: what are their effects on children's growth?
Fear of growth retardation may account for the underuse of inhaled corticosteroids in children with asthma, despite compelling evidence of their effectiveness. This fear may be reduced with newer agents with lower oral bioavailability if their theoretical advantage of fewer systemic adverse effects than the standard treatment of inhaled beclometasone is realized in practice. This review aims to determine if one of the newer agents, inhaled fluticasone, has less effect on the growth of pre-pubertal asthmatic children than inhaled beclometasone. The outcome measure was growth velocity. Two double blind, randomized controlled trials were identified. In one of the studies the mean growth velocity in the fluticasone group was 0.7 cm/year greater than in the beclometasone group. In the second, smaller study the mean growth velocity in the fluticasone group was 0.8 cm/year greater. There is therefore some evidence that fluticasone has less (if any) adverse effect on growth.
Saini
Kawaljeet
K
King's College London. anusaini26@hotmail.com
Griffiths
Peter
P
D000730:Androstadienes / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001507:Beclomethasone / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D000068298:Fluticasone; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans
D000730:Androstadienes; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000068298:Fluticasone; D001507:Beclomethasone