Asthma medication given to children in their early years could stunt their growth later in life, according to a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, Medical News Today reports.
The researchers studied 12,000 infants who were given inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), particularly fluticasone and budesonide, as asthma treatment when they were two years old or younger and investigated whether the meds affected their height and weight.
They found that the children did not grow to their full height in their later years, especially those who used budesonide for more than 6 months.
"Our research shows a link between long-term treatment of ICS during infancy and stunted growth at or after the age of two in otherwise healthy children," lead researcher Antti Saari told Medical News Today.
He added that inhaled corticosteroids could lead to a permanent decreased height of up to three centimeters.
"Previously, the impact of corticosteroids on growth was looked at in older children and was thought to alter growth only temporarily," Saari said. "However, studies on inhaled corticosteroid use in infants are practically lacking and thus this has been questioned in the recent study."
Inhaled corticosteroids are recommended for the treatment of recurrent wheezing in infants, but this recommendation is only loosely followed and the medication is sometimes used for less serious conditions. Some experts are questioning if using this treatment is necessary for very young children.
"We haven't worked out who responds to steroid treatment in this group," Jonathan Grigg, professor of pediatric respiratory medicine at Queen Mary University London, told BBC. "In young pre-school children who wheeze, it is unclear which ones should be targeted with steroids. Many grow out of asthma and won't need further treatment."
"It is important that doctors think twice whether these steroids are needed or not in this age group," Saari said.
The results of the study was presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the European Society for Pediatric Endocrinology, which was held Oct. 1 to 3 in Barcelona, Spain.
