Inhaled Steroids for Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Inhaled corticosteroids show promise as an alternative to tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy in children with mild obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is associated with neurocognitive and behavioral problems. Generally, removal of the tonsils and adenoids is the treatment of choice. In a double-blind randomized crossover trial, 62 children (mean age, 8 years) with mild OSAS received inhaled corticosteroids (budesonide, 32 μg per nostril at bedtime) for 6 weeks and placebo for 6 weeks with a 2-week washout period between treatments. The children underwent sleep studies at the beginning and end of each treatment phase.

Forty-three children completed both arms of the trial. Among the 19 children (14 who received placebo and 5 who received steroids) who completed the first arm only, 7 discontinued because they did not like the spray, 6 discont…

Reviewing Author

Howard Bauchner, MD

Disclosures

Grant / research supportHuman Resources and Services Administration; NIH; NIH-NHLBI; USDA; GlaxoSmithKline

Editorial boardsArchives of Disease in Childhood (Editor-in-Chief)

Howard Bauchner, MD

Disclosures

Grant / research supportHuman Resources and Services Administration; NIH; NIH-NHLBI; USDA; GlaxoSmithKline

Editorial boardsArchives of Disease in Childhood (Editor-in-Chief)