Evaluation of growth and process of puberty in children with asthma

Asthma is an illness characterized with diffuse reversible lower respiratorytract obstruction and as a result of this hypoxia. During the attacks, central nervoussystem is exposed to hypoxia and disorder occurs in Hypothalamo-hypophyseradrenalaxis. In this condition, sexual maturation has been proposed that might beaffected during growth and puberty in asthmatic children. Also severity of disease,sex, control of symptoms, frequency of attacks and medications can affect the growthparameters and development of puberty. In this study, the stage of pubertaldevelopment in children with asthma was aimed to compare with healthy children ofsimilar age and to evaluate statistically.The study was performed between January 2007- February 2010 in AbantIzzet Baysal University, Izzet Baysal School of Medicine, Department of Pediatricsand Division of Pediatric Pulmonology. The records of patients with a diagnosis ofasthma who were followed for 6-18 years were analyzing retrospectively. SPSS 15.0software is used for statistical analysis and p<0.05 value was accepted as asignificant.31 boys (%47,7), 34 girls (%52,3), totally 65 patient and 27 boys (%49,1), 28girls (%50,9), totally 55 healthy children were included in this study. Puberty stageswere evaluated according to the classification of Tanner, for thelarche, pubarche,adrenarche and menarche in girls and genital development, pubarche, adrenarche inboys. Study group and control group were compared and age of onset of telarche forgirls is found statistically lower than control group (p=0,015). Also age of onset ofpubarch for boys in study group is found statistically lower than control group(p=0,023). As a result of this study, it was concluded that is thelarche for girls andpubarche for boys are seen in earlier ages.Key Words: asthma, growth, process of puberty, childhood