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The Substitution of Corticotrophin for Corticosteroid in the Treatment of Children and Adults with Chronic Asthma
Author(s) -
Tribe A. E.,
Malone D. N. S.,
Grant I. W. B.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 0004-8291
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1973.tb03952.x
Subject(s) - corticosteroid , medicine , asthma , substitution therapy , substitution (logic) , adrenal function , endocrinology , computer science , programming language
Summary: Corticotrophin was substituted for corticosteroid in 42 patients with chronic asthma, including 22 children, for one of three reasons: (a) to correct growth retardation, (b) to improve control of asthma, and (c) to facilitate withdrawal of corticosteroid in patients believed not to require this form of treatment. The effects of corticotrophin substitution were assessed in terms of each of these indications, and the rate of recovery of HPA function was studied in all cases. The substitution of corticotrophin for corticosteroid in children was usually followed by an increase in growth rate; this was observed more frequently when the degree of growth retardation was less severe. Corticotrophin only occasionally controlled asthma more effectively than corticosteroid, and did not facilitate the withdrawal of corticosteroid where this was indicated. Recovery of HPA function after the withdrawal of corticosteroid was slow and occasionally incomplete, despite the substitution of corticotrophin, and in only on case in two did it return to normal within 12 months. It seems that there is little to be gained from the substitution of corticotrophin for corticosteroid in patients with chronic asthma, except in the case of children with retarded growth.