Boosting steroid dose might not reduce flare-ups in children with mild to moderate asthma

Researchers have found that temporarily increasing the dosage of inhaled steroids when asthma symptoms begin to worsen does not effectively prevent severe flare-ups, and may be associated with slowing a child’s growth, challenging a common medical practice involving children with mild-to-moderate asthma. “This study allows caregivers to make informed decisions about how to treat their young patients with asthma,” said James Kiley, Ph.D., director of the NHLBI’s Division of Lung Diseases. “Trials like this can be used in the development of treatment guidelines for children with asthma.”  Their study, funded by NHLBI, appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine and was presented simultaneously at the joint meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) and the World Allergy Organization (WAO).