Summarized design and outcomes of type 3 growth studies (i.e. inhaled corticosteroids compared with another inhaled corticosteroid)
| First author [ref. no.] | Treatment groups and number of patients | Duration of growth assessment | Severity of asthma | Age and sexual maturity of patients at baseline | Permitted therapy (other than study treatment) | Statistical analysis for growth | Main study outcomes |
| De Benedictis 21 | FP 200 µg·day−1 (n=137); BDP 200 µg·day−1 (n=140) | 12 months | Moderate (requirement for FP 100–200 µg·day−1 or equivalent) | Boys aged 4–11 yrs, girls aged 4–9 yrs; prepubertal; Tanner stage sexual maturity rating of 1 | Cromones, xanthines and β-agonists; as-needed oral CS | GV calculated for each patient using linear regression; analysis by ANCOVA (terms for baseline height and age, country, sex and race) | GV significantly greater with FP versus BDP (5.01 versus 4.10 cm·yr−1, p<0.001) |
| Kannisto 19 | FP 200 µg·day−1 (n=11); BUD 400 µg·day−1 (n=12); cromones (n=9) | 12 months (plus previous 12 months) | No requirement for oral or inhaled CS therapy during the previous 12 months | 5.5–14.7 yrs | Not specified | Student's t-test | Height SDS decreased significantl with BUD (−0.23, p<0.01) versus baseline, but not with FP (−0.03) or cromones (−0.09). BUD greater changer over time versus FP (p<0.05) |
| Rao 22 | FP 200 µg·day−1 (n=15; 7 received PBO for the first 10 weeks); BDP 400 µg·day−1 (n=8) | 20 months | Moderate (steroid-naïve) | 5–10 yrs, prepubertal | Sodium cromoglycate | Not specified | ‘Highly significant’ difference in GV for BDP versus (4.94 versus 5.75 cm·yr−1 a treatment difference of 0.81 cm·yr−1 (95% CL: 0.45, 1.16) |
FP: fluticasone propionate
BDP: beclomethasone dipropionate
BUD: budesonide
PBO: placebo
CS: corticosteroid
GV: growth velocity
ANCOV: analysis of covariance
SDS: standard deviation score
CL: confidence limits