Study of growth in prepubertal asthmatics.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this pilot study was to assess whether long standing asthma affects growth in prepubertal Egyptian children before initiation of long-term corticosteroid therapy.


METHODS
Children with asthma were divided into two groups according to asthma severity, moderate (n=24) and severe (n=14) and were compared for their physical and skeletal growth with a control group (n=15) using standard deviation score (SDS) and one-way ANOVA (analysis of variance) test.


RESULTS
No statistically significant differences were found between various growth parameters (weight, height, BMI, upper segment lower segment ratio, and skin fold thickness in asthmatic and normal children, although a positive correlation was found between the age at which the asthma presented and the height in all asthmatic children, r= 0.288, p= 0.036. The bone age standard deviation scores (SDS) were 0.97 mean, -0.165 and -0.572 for controls, moderate and severe asthmatics respectively (P< 0.05), and significant inter group difference between the 2 asthmatic groups (moderate and severe) and the controls was found.


CONCLUSIONS
The authors conclude that there was no significant major effect of asthma per se on growth parameters in children, but that skeletal maturation was influenced by long standing asthma.
Ismail
N F
NF
University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt. nevinenola@yahoo.co.uk
Aly
S M
SM
Abdu
M O
MO
Kafash
D N
DN
Kelnar
C J H
CJ
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001827:Body Height; D001846:Bone Development; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011627:Puberty; D012720:Severity of Illness Index