PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine if addition of oral procaterol to low dose budesonide was comparable to high dose budesonide in preventing exacerbations anaong moderate persistent asthmatics.
METHODS: A 16 week prospective study was conducted in 20 patients aged 7-18 years moderate persistent asthmatics. After a 2 week run-in period, patients were randomized to treatment with either oral procaterol 25ug/dose BID + low dose budesonide (400ug/day) or high dose budesonide (800ug/day) alone. Lung function was measured serially and patients kept a diary of symptoms and bronchodilator use.
RESULTS: Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) at 6th week was significantly increased in both treatment groups (p-0.03), likewise in symptoms, nocturnal cough(p-0.02) and daytime cough(p-0.01).There was no significant difference between the treatment groups in all the parameters measured.
CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated improvement in pulmonary function and symptom control in both treatment groups. However, clinical efficacy between the two treatment groups showed no significant difference in preventing exacerbations among moderate persistent asthmatics, probably because of the relatively small sample size involved. Thus, the author recommends to increase sample size to achieve significant outcome.
CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: This study wants to determine that adding oral procaterol to low dose budesonide was comparable to high dose budesonide in preventing exacerbations among moderate persistent asthmatics thereby, may be used as an alternative treatment regimen among moderate persistent asthmatics.
DISCLOSURE: Ronald Allan Austria, Grant monies (from sources other than industry) The Philippine Children's Medical Center research fund shouldered the payment of spirometry fee of all patients in this study.; Grant monies (from industry related sources) otsuka provided the procaterol used by patients in this study while Astra provided the budesonide used by patients in this study.
Ronald Allan F. Austria MD * Arnel Gerald Q. Jiao MD Ma. Cecillia C. Nierva MD Beatriz Praxedes Apo I. Mandanas MD Celia T. Tardaguila RRT Philippine Children's Medical Center, Quezon, Philippines
COPYRIGHT 2005 American College of Chest Physicians
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group
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