Treatment of mild persistent asthma in children

Abstract

Fernando Martinez and co-workers (Feb 19, p 650)1 highlight that daily use of inhaled corticosteroids is associated with reduced growth, and that intermittent use of these drugs to control mild persistent asthma avoids such growth impairment. This statement could lead physicians and (parents of) patients to think that daily inhaled corticosteroid treatment is unsafe and stunts growth. I would like to point out that the currently available evidence does not support a clinically relevant effect on long-term growth of inhaled corticosteroid therapy in children.