Immunology

Summary
It has long been known that the use of inhaled glucocorticosteroids can retard growth velocity in prepubertal children. It had been presumed that such retardation in growth did not affect final adult height. However, this presumption had never been firmly established.
 
In this long-term follow-up study of the Childhood Asthma Management Program (CAMP), the authors found that the mean adult height in the inhaled steroid treated group was 1.2 cm lower than in the placebo group (P=0.001) whereas in the nedocromil treated group, the mean adult height was only 0.2 cm lower than in the placebo group (P=0.61).  
 
It was also found that a larger daily dose of inhaled glucocorticoid in the first two years was associated with a lower adult height (minus 0.1 cm for each microgram per kilogram of body weight) (P=0.007).
 
The authors concluded that “The initial decrease in attained height associated with the use of inhaled glucocorticoids in prepubertal children persisted as a reduction in adult height, although the decrease was not progressive or cumulative.”
 
Reference
Kelly HW, et al. Effect of inhaled glucocorticoids in childhood on adult height. New England Journal of Medicine 2012 (September 3); (10.1056/NEJMoa1203229).