SHORT-TERM GROWTH IN CHILDREN WITH ALLERGIC RHINITIS TREATED WITH ORAL ANTIHISTAMINE, DEPOT AND INTRANASAL GLUCOCORTICOSTEROIDS

Short-term growth was studied during the grass pollen season with weekly knemometry in 44 schoolchildren with allergic rhinitis. The design was a randomized, parallel group study. After a four-weeks run-in period, the children were allocated to six weeks' treatment with either a single im injection of methylprednisolone acetate 60 mg at the beginning of the period, intranasal budesonide 200 mug bid (aerosol spray) or terfenadine tablets 60 mg daily. Treatment with methylprednisolone acetate was open, whereas treatment with budesonide and terfenadine was double-blinded. Twelve children in the methylprednisolone acetate group, 11 in the budesonide group and 12 in the terfenadine group completed the study. Compared with the run-in period, treatment with methylprednisolone acetate and budesonide (run-in growth velocities 0.46 and 0.59 mm/week, respectively) was associated with a reduction in mean lower leg growth velocity of 0.28 and 0.54 mm/week (p<0.01, t=3.3, 95% confidence interval 0.09-0.47 mm/week; and p<0.001, t=6.1, 95% confidence interval 0.34-0.7 2mm/week, respectively). Terfenadine (run-in and treatment mean growth velocity 0.35 and 0.51 mm/week) did not influence lower leg growth significantly. Short-term lower leg growth is suppressed in children with allergic rhinitis treated with intranasal and depot steroids in the doses investigated. No conclusions can be drawn with respect to long-term statural growth.