EFFECT OF PROLONGED USE OF INHALED STEROIDS ON THE CELLULAR-IMMUNITY OF CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA

Background: Systemic corticosteroids may affect the cellular immunity, but there is no available controlled data on such effects associated with a prolonged use of inhaled corticosteroids. Objective: The invest igation was designed to study the effect of long-term inhaled beclomet hasone dipropionate in daily doses of np to 600 mu g on cellular immun e functions. Methods: Twenty-four children with asthma treated with in haled beclomethasone dipropionate for a mean of 22.6 months were compa red with 16 children with asthma not treated with an inhaled steroid a nd with 20 healthy adults. Cellular immune parameters included differe ntial white blood count, T- and B-cell numbers, T helper and suppresso r counts, T-cell mitogenic transformation and interleukin-1 and interl eukin-2 secretion. Results: There was no difference in any of the stud ied cellular immune functions among the three study groups. Conclusion : Long-term use of inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate by children wit h asthma, at daily doses of up to 600 mu g, has no effect on certain p arameters of cellular immunity.