New Combination Therapy For Asthma Provides Consistent Relief For Patients

Main Category: Respiratory / Asthma
Article Date: 18 Jan 2005 - 0:00 PDT


A successful trial of an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) combined with a long-acting beta2-agonist (budesonide/formoterol) was part of a double-blind, randomized, parallel-group study of 2,760 asthma patients.

The research revealed a 45 percent lower exacerbation rate, a reduction in overall severe exacerbation levels, a delay in exacerbation onset requiring medical attention, improved symptom control, a reduction in awakenings due to asthma, and better lung function in treated patients as compared with two fixed dosing regimens that were also tested.

The study was conducted at 246 centers in 22 countries. Patents were randomized to one of three treatment groups: budesonide/formoterol (bud/form) twice a day plus the same combination as needed for relief of symptoms; bud/form twice a day plus terbutaline, a short-acting beta2-agonist, as needed; and budesonide, an inhaled corticosteroid twice a day, plus terbutaline, as needed.

The investigators said that their study was the first to show that a high maintenance dose of the ICS budesonide is not necessary to reduce the incidence of first and repeat exacerbations requiring medical intervention. The authors noted that the risk of severe exacerbations requiring medical intervention was reduced by 45 percent with bud/form maintenance and relief, as compared with patients using a four-fold higher maintenance dose of budesonide with a short-acting beta2-agonist for relief.

The researchers noted that there was no evidence of tolerance to the bud/form combination since results were maintained over 12 months. The research appears in the second issue for January 2005 of the American Thoracic Society's peer-reviewed American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

For the complete text of this article, please see the American Thoracic Society Online Web Site at http//www.atsjournals.org. For either contact information or to request a complimentary journalist subscription to ATS journals online, or if you would like to add your name to the Society's twice monthly journal news e-mail list, contact Cathy Carlomagno at 212-315-6442, or by e-mail at ccarlomagno@thoracic.org

Contact: Cathy Carlomagno
ccarlomagno@thoracic.org
212-315-6442
American Thoracic Society
American Thoracic Society Journal news tips for January 2005 (Second Issue)

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