Effects of inhaled corticosteroids on bone age and growth in children with asthma / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Long-term inhaled corticosteroids are the preferred treatment for asthma, but their safety still controversial. The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of inhaled corticosteroids on bone age and growth in children with asthma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Seventy-three children with asthma received inhaled fluticasone treatment at a starting dosage of 250 μg/d for 3 months, when the dosage was reduced by a third. Three months later, the patients were treated with fluticasone at a dosage of 125 μg/d for 6 months. Bone age, heights and weights were measured before and one year of treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The increase in the heights, weights and RUS (radius, ulna and short finger bones) bone age of the children with asthma after one year of treatment was not significantly different from healthy children. There were no significant differences in body mass index (BMI) before and after one year of treatment, however the level of carpal bone age [-0.2(-0.6,0.8) years] was delayed after therapy compared to before treatment [-0.5(-1.0,0.6) years] (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Treatment with inhaled corticosteroids for 1 year may suppress the level of carpal bone age, but the level of RUS bone age, heights, weights and BMI are not affected. It is necessary to monitor the growth of children with asthma who receive long-term inhaled corticosteroid treatment.</p>

A mutation in TGF beta1 gene encoding the latency-associated peptide in a Chinese patient with Camurati-Engelmann disease / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To identify the mutation in transforming growth factor-beta1 gene (TGF beta1) in a Chinese patient with Camurati-Engelmann disease(CED).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) analysis was performed on the whole seven coding exons and exon-intron boundaries, then the mutation was identified by direct sequencing.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Mutation screening of TGF beta1 in this patient revealed a heterozygous missense mutation R218H in exon 4.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The identification of the mutation could provide essential data for subsequent therapy and genetic counseling.</p>