Bone metabolism in asthatic children on inhaled corticosteroid therapy

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to assess the effect of inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate [BDP] in a dose 200-800 pg/day for at least 3 years [mean 3.9 +/- 0.6 years] on the serum markers of bone formation in asthmatic children. Twenty-one children with asthma aged 7-14 years [mean 11.] +/- 2.0 years] on inhaled beclomethasone were compared with age and sex matched group of asthmatic children not treated with corticosteroids. Comparison was also made with 17 healthy non-asthmatic children. Pulmonary function tests [FEy[1], PEFR, FEF2S-75] improved significantly after the use of inhaled corticosteroids, however, serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, total alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, calcitonin, and urine calcium/creatinine ratio showed no significant difference between subjects of the three different groups. These findings were observed regardless of the atopic status of patients concluding that BDF in a dose of up to 800 pg/day has no effect on bone mineralization or biochemical markers of bone metabolism