Eighty percent asthmatic children develop asthma symptoms by the age of five years. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), depending on dosage, may cause linear growth reduction and adrenal gland suppression. There are few studies about linear growth of preschool children with asthma. Aim of this investigation was to evaluate if there is any effect of fluticasone propionate (FP) on linear growth and adrenal gland function.

METHODS: Twenty eight children aged 18 to 52 months with persistent asthma receiving ICS fluticasone propionate 100-200 mcg daily were studied over a year. By clinical parameters patients were divided into group of well (group 1) and poorly controlled (group 2). Height was measured every 3 months and expressed as height standard deviation score (SDS). Cumulative dose of FP expressed in mg was calculated for every patient. Early morning levels of serum ACTH and cortisol were assessed at the beginning and at the end of the study.

RESULTS: Patients were taking FP for average of 11 months in group 1 and 16 months in group 2, which was not statistically significant difference. At the end of the study height SDS difference was - 0.0143 in group 1 and - 0.2000 in group 2 which was not statistically significant difference ( t = 0.6072, p = 0.5489). There was also no statistically significant difference for average cortisol (p = 0.4381) and ACTH (p = 0.5845) concentration at the end of the study.

CONCLUSION: FP 100 - 200 mcg daily had no effect on linear growth and hypothalamic- pituitary-adrenal gland axis but further follow up is necessary.