Hypertrichosis as a Side Effect of Inhaled Steroids in Children

The document reported a suspected link between hypertrichosis (excessive hair growth) and the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in children, based on three spontaneous reports to Lareb, The Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Center. The study used the Reporting Odds Ratio (ROR) and the Naranjo Score (NS) to mathematically assess the potential causal relationship, with a ROR of 14.6 and an NS of 4 indicating a significant association. Additionally, 20 more reports from the UMC database of the WHO supported these findings. The study involved 23 children, 11 boys and 12 girls, with a mean age of 7 years, and the time to onset of hypertrichosis after starting ICS ranged from 1 month to 3 years. Other side effects included growth retardation in 5 children and adrenal suppression in 12. Upon cessation of ICS, hypertrichosis improved in 6 children but remained unchanged in another 6. The study concluded that there is sufficient evidence to support hypertrichosis as a true adverse effect of ICS in children, with individual susceptibility playing a role, and that hypertrichosis may not resolve in all cases after stopping ICS. Hypertrichosis could also indicate excessive exposure to external steroids.