Comparison of the Systemic Effects of Fluticasone Propionate and Triamcinolone Acetonide Administered in Equipotent Doses in Children with Asthma

Abstract

Equal efficacious doses of the inhaled corticosteroids can result in significant differences in systemic effects due to differences in their pharmacokinetic profile. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a model to compare systemic activity of inhaled corticosteroids given in topically equipotent doses in children. Systemic effects were measured by 24-hour urinary free cortisol (UFC) and a.m. and p.m. serum osteocalcin. Efficacy was monitored by a.m. and p.m. exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) and a.m. peak expiratory flow (PEF). Twenty-one children, 6-16 years old on inhaled corticosteroids at ≥400 μg/day beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) equivalent were placed on BDP for a 2-week, open-label, run-in, baseline period. Patients were then randomized into a double-blind, double-dummy, crossover trial for two 3-week periods of equipotent doses of fluticasone propionate (FP) or triamcinolone acetonide (TAA) as defined by the NHLBI Expert Panel Report 2. At the end of baseline and each treatment phase patients wer...