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Controlling asthma and other breathing problems with steroids may leads to development of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) lung infections. NTM are in the same family as tuberculosis, but come in many different species and are widely dispersed in the environment. Although they cannot be spread from person to person, NTM are difficult to treat and can cause serious illness, and even death.
Researchers analyzed the medical records of 549 patients diagnosed with NTM lung infections in Northern California over a 10-year period and found that the odds of developing NTM pulmonary infection were 2.7 times greater in those patients who had filled three or more prescriptions for an inhaled steroid. The longer a person was on an inhaled steroid and the higher the dose, the more likely the patient was to develop an NTM lung infection.
Some studies have found that as many as three-quarters of COPD patients may be taking an inhaled steroid. While inhaled steroids are now commonly prescribed and used in COPD, it is likely only a modest number of patients who gain significant clinical benefit from this treatment. Inhaled steroids appear to depress the immune system, they may contribute to the risk of respiratory infections, including NTM infections.
haleplushearty.org