Assessment of growth in bronchial asthma

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of uncontrolled long standing asthma without corticosteroid therapy on the growth of pre-pubertal Egyptian children. This was an analytical study conducted at Damietta university hospital Two groups of patients suffering from uncontrolled moderate [n=30] or severe [n=18] asthma were compared for their physical and skeletal growth with a control group [n=30]. All enrolled children were followed up for 1 year. At enrollment the following investigations were performed CBC, serum IgE, tuberculin test, chest x-ray and x-ray of lift hand and wrist [also at end of the study]. At start and end of the study, no statistically significant differences were detected between the 3 study groups regarding growth indicators [weight for height [W/H] and height for age [H/A] percent of median reference]. The percent of change in growth parameters [weight, height, BMI, upper segment lower segment ratio] were comparable from beginning to end of the study and the differences between groups were not statistically significant. At start and end of the study, bone age was delayed among asthmatic children than controls [p=0.00 each of them]. Both severe and moderate asthma groups were associated with lower standard deviation scores of bone age than controls group and the differences between groups were statistically significant [p=0.00 at start and end of the study]. Comparing growth indicators before and after controlling asthma clarified that no statistical significant differences were detected between asthmatic children and controls [W/H p=0.2, H/A p=0.2]. It was concluded that asthma did not influence the growth, however bone age was delayed