ATTAINED ADULT HEIGHT AFTER CHILDHOOD ASTHMA - EFFECT OF GLUCOCORTICOID THERAPY

Background: Although oral and inhaled glucocorticoid therapy may impai r growth in children with asthma, the effect of glucocorticoid therapy and asthma on attained adult height has not been extensively studied in representative children in the community. Objectives: The study was designed to compare the attained adult height of children with asthma with the attained adult height of nonasthmatic children and to compar e the attained adult height of asthmatic children treated with glucoco rticoids with the attained adult height of asthmatic children who did not receive glucocorticoids. Methods: Residents of Rochester, Minnesot a, with onset of asthma from 1964 to 1987 and age- and sea-matched non asthmatic residents of Rochester were studied. Glucocorticoid exposure was assessed from medical records. The mean of 5 stadiometer measurem ents of adult height, adjusted for sex and parental height, was analyz ed. Results: One hundred fifty-three patients with asthma (mean age at onset, 6.1 +/- 4.8 years) and 153 age- and sex-matched nonasthmatic s ubjects were studied. Adult height of patients with asthma (mean age a t measurement, 25.7 +/- 5.2 years) was not significantly different fro m the adult height of nonasthmatic subjects; the overall difference, a djusted for mid-parental height, was -0.20 cm (95% confidence interval from -0.27 to 1.64), The adult height of asthmatic children treated w ith glucocorticoids was not significantly different from the adult hei ght of patients with asthma not treated with glucocorticoids the diffe rence after adjusting for mid-parental height was -0.2 cm (95% confide nce interval from -0.1 to 0.6). Conclusions: We conclude that the atta ined adult height of patients with asthma is not different from the ad ult height of age- and sex matched nonasthmatic subjects and that tile attained adult height of asthmatic children treated with glucocortico ids is not significantly different from the adult height of children n ot treated with glucocorticoids.