LC Martinati, F Bertoldo, E Gasperi, S Micelli and AL Boner
Department of Paediatrics, Istituto di Semeiotica e Nefrologia Medica, Verona, Italy.

Bone metabolism and density have been shown to be abnormal in adult asthmatic patients treated with inhaled corticosteroids. Because the largest increases in bone growth and mineral deposition occur during childhood and adolescence, we performed a cross-sectional evaluation of cortical and trabecular bone mass by dual-photon absorptiometry at the proximal one third of the radius (cortical bone) and by dual-energy X- ray absorptiometry at the L2-L4 lumbar spine (trabecular bone) in 64 prepubertal asthmatic children receiving beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) or cromolyn sodium (CS). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was performed by anteroposterior scan and also by lateral vertebral scan in order to exclude the posterior elements of the vertebrae, which are composed mainly of cortical bone and which are less sensitive to the negative effect of steroids. Furthermore, we calculated "volumetric" bone density, dividing lateral mineral content by the vertebral volume. Bone mineral areal density and volume bone density did not differ in children receiving BDP for 6.7 +/- 1.3 mo at a mean dose of 319.3 +/- 130 micrograms/d compared with those in children treated with CS. Furthermore, anteroposterior bone density in our study population was in agreement with published normative data and with that of normal age- related healthy nonasthmatic children living in the same area and with the same dietary intake of calcium. No normal values are available for lateral and calculated-volume bone density. In conclusion, treatment with BDP does not appear to have an adverse effect on bone mass in prepubertal children with mild moderate asthma. Longitudinal studies should be performed in order to evaluate the effect of early introduction of inhaled corticosteroids in children with mild asthma.

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