Inhaled Corticosteroids and Voice Problems. What Is New?

Background: Voice problems are the most common and most annoying local side effect of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), affecting not only patients' treatment compliance but also their quality of life. The literature is very poor regarding prevalence, mechanism, prevention, and management of voice problems attributed to ICS use and especially for the new ICS, ciclesonide. Prevalence of dysphonia seems to be less common with the use of ciclesonide and beclomethasone dipropionate.

Method: We conducted a bibliography review based on recently published data, including data from the recently introduced ICS, ciclesonide, which are lacking in previous reviews.

Results: Very little improvement, based on limited number of new papers published during previous years without any direct comparison between available ICS, has been made in our understanding of ICS local side effects.

Conclusion: Our understanding concerning basic information of ICS effects on voice still remains poor, and further investigation is needed to have a better understanding on epidemiology, predisposing factors, mechanisms, prevention, and treatment of voice problems attributed to ICS.