Bone mineral density and associated parameters in pre-pubertal children with asthma treated with long-term fluticasone propionate

AimsThe primary aim of the objective of the study was to determine the effects of long-term treatment with the recommended dose of inhaled fluticasone propionate spray usage on bone mineral status in children with asthma.MethodsThis cross-sectional, case–control study was of 270 pre-pubertal children with asthma, who had used inhaled fluticasone propionate at a mean daily dose of 200 μg (range: 200–350 μg) for at least 5 years. The bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). The results were compared to untreated controls (n = 200), who were newly diagnosed children with asthma without any corticosteroid treatment.ResultsThe 270 study patients (175 males) were aged between 6 and 13 years. The average age (±SEM) was 9.2 ± 0.6 years, and the mean (±SEM) steroid dosage used was 183.3 ± 57.0 μg daily, with 236.5 ± 17.2 g total steroid use during treatment. Between the study and the control groups, no significant difference was observed in BMD (p > 0.05).ConclusionThe findings suggest that long-term periodical treatment for 5 years with inhaled fluticasone propionate, 100 μg twice daily, in children with asthma revealed no negative effect on bone mineral density by using DEXA.