[Inhaled corticosteroids in the treatment of childhood asthma].

During the last fifteen years, inhaled corticosteroids were increasingly used for prophylaxis in childhood asthma. The development of inhaled corticosteroids with a high ratio of topical vs systemic potency, now makes possible their use in large doses which are needed to control the most severe forms of the disease, in order to avoid long term oral corticosteroid treatment for these patients. The efficacy of inhaled corticosteroids depends on an optimal pulmonary deposition of the drug which is obtained with children by inhaling the drug via a large volume spacer. Beyond their beneficial effects on the clinical condition of the patients and on pulmonary function, inhaled corticosteroids should improve the long term prognosis of asthma, by reducing chronic inflammation in the airways and the associated bronchial hyperreactivity. At usual dosages, inhaled corticosteroids are free of harmful side effects. However, caution and close observation of adrenal function and growth development are required when prescribing inhaled corticosteroids at high dosages for a long period. Nevertheless, inhaled corticosteroids present very few serious side effects compared with those induced by long term oral corticosteroid treatment.