Nebulized steroid therapy in bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

The effect of inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate (BEC) was studied in seven infants between 7 and 18 months of age with glucocorticoid-dependent bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Oral glucocorticoid therapy, pulmonary function, growth, daily caloric consumption, blood pressure, blood sugar, blood gases, and immunoglobulins were monitored for 3 months before (control period) and 3 months after (intervention period) instituting inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate (25 micrograms/kg/day divided tid) delivered by Pulmoaide with a DeVilbiss nebulizer. Acute BEC inhalation produced no change in pulmonary function. During BEC treatment, oral glucocorticoid therapy was decreased in all infants, stopped in four infants within 3 months and in the other three infants in 4-5 months. Within 1 month of inhaled BEC the rate of linear growth and weight increased markedly (2.2 +/- 1.8 vs 6.4 +/- 2.4 cm/month - mean +/- SD and 9.3 +/- 6.5 vs 18.2 +/- 7.4 g/day, respectively without change in average daily caloric consumption (113 +/- 16 vs. 110 +/- 15 cal/kg/day). Immunoglobulins also significantly increased during BEC therapy (IgG(Total) 246 +/- 74 vs 463 +/- 111 mg/dL). Pulmonary function revealed moderate obstructive pulmonary disease before BEC. After 3 months of BEC inhalation no significant change occurred although respiratory system resistance decreased and the flow at 25% of tidal volume to peak flow ratio increased more than predicted by intersession variability. In no infant did pulmonary function decline after BEC, nor were any apparent adverse effects noted in this small group of patients. In conclusion, inhaled BEC was effective in decreasing oral glucocorticoid therapy and in modifying glucocorticoid-induced growth suppression in a very small, highly select group of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.