Effect of long-term low dose glucocorticoid on children with bronchial asthma

Objectives To investigate the clinical efficacy of long-term of low-dose inhaled glucocorticoid (ICS) in the treatment on children with bronchial asthma, and to evaluate its effects on the height, weight and expression of serum insulin-like growth factor of children with bronchial asthma. Methods 91 children with bronchial asthma treated in our hospital from January 2017 to December 2017 were chosen, and 31 healthy children without asthma history in our hospital were selected as the control group (Group C); For the different treatment methods comparison, 91 children with bronchial asthma were divided into treatment group A (48 children) and treatment group B (43 children) randomly. In treatment group A, children were treated with low-dose ICS for more than 1 year; in treatment group B, children were treated with low-dose ICS for less than 1 year or received low-dose ICS for less than 2 months/year. For treatment evaluation, the asthma control test (C-ACT) were scored at 0 months, 12 months and 24 months in three groups, and the height and weight of children, the levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) in serum in each group were also measured. Results In the control group, the C-ACT scores were increased with time (P<0.01); the C-ACT scores of treatment group A at 12 months and at 24 months was significantly higher than that of treatment group B (P0.05); there was no significant difference in the expression levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 in serum between treatment group and control group (P>0.05). Compared with the C-ACT scores in treatment group A and treatment group B at 0 month, the C-ACT scores were significantly higher at 12 months and at 24 months, and there was a statistical difference among 0 month, 12 months and at 24 months in treatment group A and treatment group B (P<0.01); The C-ACT score of treatment group A at the 12 month was significantly higher than that in treatment group B at the 12 months(P<0.05), and the C-ACT score in treatment group A at the 24 months was significantly higher than that of treatment group B (P<0.001). Conclusions Treatment for children with bronchial asthma by long-term use of low-dose ICS is safe and effective, it does not affect health and development of children with bronchial asthma; children with bronchial asthma were treated with low-dose ICS for more than 1 year had a better effective than children were treated with low-dose ICS for less than 1 year or received low-dose ICS for less than 2 months/year.