Short-term lower leg growth rate in children with rhinitis treated with intranasal mometasone furoate and budesonide

Background: Mometasone furoate (MF) aqueous nasal spray is a potent intranasal glucocorticoid with low systemic bioavailability Knemometry has been shown to be a sensitive method of detecting systemic effects of exogenous steroids in children, Objective: We sought to assess whether MF (100 or 200 mu g) or budesonide intranasal aqueous spray (400 mu g) influences the short-term lower leg growth rate in children with seasonal or perennial allergic rhinitis, Methods: MF, budesonide, and placebo were administered once daily for 2 weeks to 22 children aged 7 to 12 years (mean 10 years) in a randomized, double-blind, crossover study, Lower leg measurements were done before and after each 2-week treatment period. Two-week washout intervals separated each treatment period. Results: There were no significant differences in lower leg growth rates among the MF 200 mu g (0.95 +/- 0.79 mm; mean +/- SD), budesonide 100 mu g (0.73 +/- 0.61 mm), or placebo (0.69 +/- 0.70 mm) groups. The growth rate of the group receiving a 100-mu g dose of MF (1.16 +/- 0.67 mm) was greater than that for the group receiving placebo (P = .024) or budesonide (P = .033), So statistically significant sequence effect (P = .11), carry-over effect (P = .24), overall treatment effect (P = .086), or period effect (P = .065) was detected, Conclusion: No short-term adverse effects on linear lower leg growth rates were detected after once daily MF or budesonide at clinically relevant doses.