Evaluation of growth and obesity in children with asthma and allergic rhinitis

Abstract

Objection: In recent years, it has been observed that clinicians and parents are prone to think that variations in growth, puberty and weight gain in childhood are related with allergic diseases and their treatments. Evaluation of the growth, puberty and weight gain patterns of children with allergic rhinitis and asthma, and the relationship between auxologic findings and severity, duration and treatments of allergic diseases was aimed in this study. Material and Method: Eighty-two patients who were diagnosed with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis (AR) were included and growth status, pubertal development and growth velocity were evaluated. According to the duration, patients were grouped as having “short” (≤24 months); “median”(25-48 months) and “long” (≥49 months) term disease. Patients were also classified in three groups, such as ‘mild’, ‘moderate’ and ‘severe’, according to severity of disease. Results: Among 82 (44 (53.7%) boys and 38 (46.3%) girls with an overall mean age of 7.6±2.9 years, 29 (35.4%) had asthma, 15 (18.3%) AR and 38 (46.3%) asthma and AR. Comparison of weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and growth velocity (GV) SDS values between groups according to duration of disease, revealed no significant intergroup difference (p>0.05). Weight, height, body mass index (BMI) SDS were significantly decreased in severe disease group (p=0.012, p=0.006, p=0.024), while GV SDS was not different (p>0.05). Allergic disease or medications were not related with an increase in body mass index (BMI), conversely weight, height and BMI SDS values were found to be negatively correlated with severity of the disease. Excessive weight gain was not related either with duration and severity of disease, duration of drug treatment or doses of the drugs used. Conclusion: Growth retardation, disorders of puberty or excessive weight gain should not be related to the allergic conditions or drugs used, the actual reasons of the problems should be determined.