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Published on: August 7, 2017

Hemoglobin a1c levels in children with asthma using low dose inhaled corticosteroids

Oya Yucel1, Yesim Eker, Cagatay Nuhoglu

  • 1Baskent University, Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey. oyayucel2000@yahoo.com

Indian Pediatrics
|January 31, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Children with asthma using inhaled steroids (ICS) showed higher HbA1c levels compared to healthy children. This study found no correlation between ICS dosage or duration and these elevated HbA1c levels.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Endocrinology
  • Clinical Pharmacy

Background:

  • Systemic absorption of inhaled steroids (ICS) can potentially elevate blood glucose.
  • Understanding the impact of ICS on glycemic control is crucial for managing pediatric asthma.
  • Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is a key indicator of long-term blood glucose control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of prophylactic inhaled steroid use on HbA1c levels in children with asthma.
  • To compare HbA1c levels in asthmatic children using ICS with a control group of healthy children.

Main Methods:

  • A case-control study was conducted in an outpatient setting.
  • 141 children with asthma using ICS (study group) and 52 healthy children (control group) were enrolled.
  • HbA1c levels were measured as the primary outcome.

Main Results:

  • The mean HbA1c level was significantly higher in the asthma group (5.44% ± 0.75%) compared to the control group (5.14% ± 0.41%), P=0.006.
  • No significant correlation was observed between the cumulative dose of ICS and HbA1c levels.
  • Increased duration of ICS use did not correlate with changes in HbA1c levels (P=0.96).

Conclusions:

  • Asthmatic children on low-dose inhaled steroids exhibit higher HbA1c values than their healthy peers.
  • Current ICS use in pediatric asthma patients may be associated with subtle alterations in glycemic control, warranting further investigation.
  • The findings suggest that while ICS may influence HbA1c, the effect is not dose- or duration-dependent within the studied parameters.
Abstract

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