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Fluticasone improves pulmonary function in children under 2 years old with risk factors for asthma

Alejandro M Teper1, Carlos D Kofman, Gabriela A Szulman

  • 1Respiratory Center, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Gallo 1330, Buenos Aires, Argentina. ateper@intramed.net

American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
|December 14, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Fluticasone treatment in children under two with recurrent wheezing significantly improved lung function and reduced respiratory symptoms and exacerbations over six months. This asthma medication offers a promising therapeutic option for early childhood respiratory issues.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Respiratory Medicine
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Recurrent wheezing in children under two years old is a common clinical challenge.
  • Identifying effective treatments for early-stage asthma or asthma risk factors is crucial for long-term respiratory health.
  • Inhaled corticosteroids are a standard treatment for asthma, but their efficacy in very young children requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of fluticasone in treating recurrent wheezing in children younger than two years old with asthma risk factors.
  • To assess the impact of fluticasone on pulmonary function and clinical outcomes, including respiratory symptoms and exacerbations.

Main Methods:

  • A double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving children under two years old with recurrent wheezing.
  • Participants were randomized to receive either fluticasone (125 mug) or a placebo twice daily for six months.
  • Pulmonary function tests and daily parent-reported symptom diaries were used to collect data.

Main Results:

  • Fluticasone treatment led to a statistically significant improvement in the SD score of maximum flow at functional residual capacity (p = 0.001).
  • The fluticasone group experienced a higher percentage of symptom-free days (91.3%) compared to placebo (83.9%, p = 0.05).
  • Fluticasone significantly reduced the number of respiratory exacerbations (2.1 vs 4.1, p = 0.04) and the percentage of days on albuterol (8.6% vs 16.3%, p = 0.028).

Conclusions:

  • Twice-daily fluticasone administration for six months is effective in improving pulmonary function in children under two with recurrent wheezing.
  • Fluticasone treatment positively impacts clinical outcomes, including reducing symptom burden and the need for rescue medication.
  • This study supports the use of fluticasone as a therapeutic option for managing early-onset wheezing and potential asthma in young children.

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