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Editorial
Limited side effects of asthma treatment on growth and bone health in children
  1. Marie Standl
  1. Helmholtz - Zentrum Munchen Deutsches Forschungszentrum fur Umwelt und Gesundheit, Neuherberg, Bayern, Germany
  1. Correspondence to Dr Marie Standl, Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Centre for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Bayern, Germany; marie.standl{at}helmholtz-muenchen.de

https://doi.org/10.1136/thoraxjnl-2021-218531

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    It has been suggested that long-term use of not only oral corticosteroids but also inhaled corticosteroids (ICs) might lead to reduced bone health and increased risk of osteoporosis and fractures later in life.1 ICs are commonly used for the treatment of persistent asthma in children.2

    Therefore, it has been discussed if long-term ICs use might have potential adverse side effects on growth and bone health in children. Children, and especially young children, might be particularly vulnerable given the high growth velocity in this age group. Optimal management is of high importance for asthma control and to avoid worsening of symptoms. However, as ICs might be administered for a long period of time, it is equally important to be aware of long-term health consequences to ensure compliance by the patient’s family and caretakers. Some intervention studies have investigated this association, evaluating differences in type of drugs and delivery devices.3 However, controlled trials are limited in their ability to cover long follow-up periods and therefore, are not able to conclude on long-term health consequences. Therefore, Kunøe et al address an important research question in their analyses of …

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    Footnotes

    • Funding The author has not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

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