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Introduction: Several studies suggest that severe asthmatic patients under oral steroids show higher risk of myopathy induced by steroids. Nevertheless, no conclusive data exist about the prolonged oral steroid therapy effects on the res- piratory muscles function. We didn't found correlation between the severity of obs- truction (evaluated by FEV1), hyperinflation (residual volu- me- RV) and the muscle pressures in both groups. Also, there were no significant correlation between the G1 PImax and oral steroid accumulated dose., Conclusion: We found a significant compromise of the res- piratory muscle function in the both studied groups with severe asthma. The oral steroid therapy caused no additional adverse effect in muscle respiratory function even after a prolon- ged treatment. The compromise of the muscle respiratory function foun- ded can be justified by the prolonged exposition to inhaled steroids. Key-words: Asthma, respiratory muscles, oral steroids.

Inherited errors of purine and pyrimidine metabolism are a group of disorders with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations. They may involve nervous, renal, haematological and immunological systems, presenting at any age. The incidence and prevalence of these disorders are unknown. Most clinicians are not aware of their existence and hospital laboratories do not offer conditions for the screening. We have been associated contractor in an european project for the study of these disorders. It enabled us to set up urinary screening methods and establish normal values for urinary purine and pyrimidine in our paediatric population.