People with mild asthma given inhaled steroids had fewer attacks and more symptom-free days.
Previous research on the impact of inhaled steroids on mild asthma has given inconclusive results, because people with more severe disease were included in the trials. Now, for the first time, researchers at the University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium show the effect of inhaled steroids in a group of over 7,200 patients diagnosed with mild asthma.

The group, aged three to 66 years, were given either inhaled budesonide or a placebo once a day for three years. In the steroid group, 44 per cent fewer had severe asthma attacks, compared to those on placebo. And those in the steroid group were also 40 per cent less likely to need oral steroids and enjoyed more symptom free days, again compared to placebo.

Budesonide was also well-tolerated and improved long term lung function. The only drawback was that it tended to impair growth in very young children.