ADRENOCORTICAL FUNCTION IN CHILDREN WITH BRONCHIAL-ASTHMA UNDER FLUTICASON TREATMENT

In order to study the adverse reaction of a new, inhaled steroid (Flut icasone) on the pituitary-adrenocortical axis in asthmatic children, w e investigated 7 children (aged 7 to 15 years) before and during treat ment with Fluticason (100-200 mug/day). For the dosage tested, we foun d no depression of adrenal function, neither in circadian cortisol sec retion nor in hCRH-stimulation-test. Another 7 asthmatic children unde r treatment with Budesonide (800 mug/day) were examined by the same te sts. They equally did not show an adrenocortical suppression. However, in 4 other children under therapy with oral prednisone (2.5 to 7.5 mg /day), there was a marked suppression on adrenocortical function, even with low doses of the steroid. We conclude that Fluticasone (as well as Budesonide) in the above dosages represent a safe therapy for bronc hial asthma in children.