Are long-term inhaled glucocorticoids safe in patients with bronchial asthma?

Bronchial asthma (asthma) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways involving various cells (e.g., eosinophils, mast cells, T cells, neutrophils, and airway epithelial cells) and cellular components. Currently glucocorticosteroids are the most effective anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of bronchial asthma, effectively suppressing airway inflammation and improving patients’ clinical symptoms, lung function and airway hyperresponsiveness. Glucocorticoids may cause some adverse effects on the body, but the magnitude of the adverse effects varies greatly with the dose, route of administration, and duration of use. The effect of inhaled glucocorticosteroids on growth and development in children with bronchial asthma is one of the main concerns of most parents. The effect of systemic glucocorticosteroids on the growth of children with bronchial asthma is certain, as half a tablet (2.5 mg) of prednisone per day can inhibit growth. Inhaled glucocorticoids mainly act locally in the airways, the dose of the drug is much lower than the dose of systemic medication, and the systemic effects of the drug are extremely mild, therefore, when used within the conventional recommended dose range, there are very few adverse reactions, which are safe for human beings and do not affect the growth and development of children. According to the available information, the earlier a child with bronchial asthma receives glucocorticoid inhalation therapy, the better the control of symptoms and the less the effect on height. Observations over the years have shown that during the initial period of glucocorticoid inhalation, the child’s growth rate may be temporarily suppressed, but with continued medication and gradual control of bronchial asthma symptoms, the growth rate of children with bronchial asthma accelerates significantly. Clinical multicenter follow-up studies have shown that up to 10 years of inhaled recommended doses of glucocorticoids have no adverse effects on the final height of children. Localized adverse effects of inhaled glucocorticoids are mainly oropharyngeal candida infections, pharyngeal irritation, hoarseness, and paradoxical bronchospasm, which generally occur as a result of excessive inhalation doses and improper inhalation methods. These problems can be prevented by rinsing the mouth after inhalation, and dosing aerosols can be supplemented with mist storage canisters to alleviate localized adverse effects. Therefore, under the correct guidance of the doctor, control the dosage, do not increase or decrease the dosage without authorization, master the correct inhalation method, and rinse the mouth in time after inhalation of the drug, bronchial asthma patients with long-term inhalation of glucocorticosteroids is safe. Although inhaled glucocorticosteroids are currently the first choice for the treatment of asthma, but only the correct use in order to achieve the expected therapeutic effect: 1, due to the chronic inflammation of the airway in asthma exists for a long time, glucocorticosteroids are the main anti-inflammatory drugs, should be used over a long period of time, such as bronchodilator drugs (such as salbutamol – β2 agonists), only the symptoms of the onset of the use, it is a kind of error in the use of methods, not only asthma, the condition will gradually aggravate, not only can not be effectively controlled, the disease will also be aggravated. The use of inhaled glucocorticosteroids is a mistake, and not only will asthma not be effectively controlled, but the condition will also worsen gradually. 2, inhaled glucocorticosteroids have a slower onset of action, it generally takes 1 to 2 weeks to play a greater anti-inflammatory effect, for patients in the acute exacerbation period, you can first short-term oral glucocorticosteroids for 1 to 2 weeks, if necessary, and then gradually reduce the amount of medication and stop and switch to inhaled hormone therapy after symptom control. 3, inhaled glucocorticosteroids should be based on the severity of the disease to develop an individualized treatment plan, the first time patients should be treated with a larger dose of clinical symptoms control, and then gradually reduce the dose, and ultimately the smallest dose of long-term maintenance of asthma in an effective state of control. 4, master the correct method of inhalation, should rinse the mouth in time after the use of drugs to reduce adverse reactions. Inhaled glucocorticosteroids in most patients in about 1 week after the condition stabilized, but due to asthma patients airway inflammation is a chronic process, even the most appropriate anti-inflammatory treatment will take at least 3 months to control inflammation, rather than cure the inflammation. Therefore, it is now generally accepted that inhaled glucocorticosteroids need to be continued for at least 3-6 months before considering whether to try to reduce the dose. Therefore, patients with asthma should have their condition evaluated by a physician every 3 months, and then the severity of the condition will determine whether the dosage can be reduced and the specific dosage reduction or withdrawal regimen. Clinically, a specialist can first set a minimum maintenance dose sufficient to control asthma symptoms for a period of treatment, and at the same time, according to the patient’s individual situation, combined with desensitization therapy, or with sodium cromoglycate inhalation, and then gradually and slowly reduce the dose of glucocorticosteroid inhalation. The above withdrawal measures should be strictly carried out under the guidance of specialists, and should not be rushed and lead to treatment failure.