Osteocalcin, cortisol levels, and bone mineral density in prepubertal children with asthma treated with long-term fluticasone propionate

Aims: The objective of this study is to determine the effects of the long-term treatment with inhaled fluticasone propionate on osteocalcin, cortisol levels, and bone mineral status in children with asthma. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined 230 prepubertal children with asthma (aged 6–11) who had intermittently used inhaled fluticasone propionate for at least 5 years at a mean daily dose of 200 µg (range: 200–350 µg). Serum osteocalcin, cortisol, and bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine were obtained from each participant. The control group consisted of gender- and age-matched children (n = 170) who were newly diagnosed with asthma and who were not being treated with corticosteroid. Results: The average age (±SEM) was 8.9 ± 0.7 years, their mean (±SEM) daily steroid dose was 180.3 ± 55.0 µg, with 236.5 ± 17.2 g total steroid use during treatment. Between the study and the control groups, no significant differences were observed in cortisol, osteocalcin levels, and BMD (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Long-term treatment with inhaled fluticasone propionate (100 µg twice daily) revealed no negative effects on serum osteocalcin, cortisol levels, and BMD in children with asthma.