SynthesisFrontiers in medicine2026
Effects of long-term inhaled corticosteroids on growth velocity and adult height in children with asthma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Frontiers in medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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0 citing papers in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are the cornerstone of long-term controller therapy for childhood asthma, but their effects on growth remain controversial. Objective: To evaluate the effects of long-term maintenance ICS therapy on linear growth velocity and adult or near-adult height in children with asthma. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis in accordance with PRISMA 2020. The review was registered in PROSPERO on 27 March 2026 (CRD420261351837), after completion of the database searches on 26 March 2026 but before final study selection, data extraction, risk-of-bias assessment, and quantitative synthesis. PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, CNKI, WanFang, and SinoMed were searched from inception to March 26, 2026, with supplementary searches of ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO ICTRP, and reference lists. Eligible studies included children and adolescents with asthma receiving ICS for at least 6 months. Random-effects models were used to pool mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Thirteen studies were included, and six study reports contributed to at least one quantitative analysis. In the primary random-effects meta-analysis, ICS treatment was associated with a non-significant reduction in linear growth velocity compared with controls (MD, -0.38 cm/year; 95% CI, -0.84 to 0.07; I Conclusion: In the primary analysis, long-term maintenance ICS therapy did not demonstrate a statistically significant reduction in linear growth velocity in children with asthma. However, sensitivity analysis excluding studies at high risk of bias suggested a possible small reduction. Evidence regarding adult height was limited and derived predominantly from one long-term follow-up study. These findings should therefore be interpreted cautiously and balanced against the established benefits of ICS for asthma control.
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