Objective: To evaluate bone status of asthmatic children on chronic inhaled corticoid therapy.
Methods: Bone densitometry was performed by Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of the distal radius in 74 asthmatic children, evaluating Z-score; serum levels of 25 hydroxyvitamin D were measured in 10 cases.
Results: 28 of 74 children had osteopenia, defined as Z scores lower than -1. Statistic analyzes showed a significant correlation (p <0.05) of osteopenia with the duration of inhaled corticoid therapy (CSI), the absence of correlation with the dose of CSI, age, sex, severity step and duration of the disease. 25 hydroxyvitamin D was low in 8 of the 10 cases with osteopenia. Osteopenia was present in 7 children who were not under CSI, but have received multiple trials of oral corticoids for severe exacerbations.
Conclusions: Osteopenia was present in 52% of children that were under inhaled corticoids for more than 12 months and it correlated with the duration of CSI, but not with the daily dose. Systemic corticoid use is a significant cause of osteopenia in asthmatic children.