Bronchodilatory effect of inhaled budesonide/formoterol and budesonide/salbutamol in acute asthma: a double-blind, randomized controlled trial

We did not observe any significant differences in the % predicted FEV1 and MPIS between formoterol and salbutamol at various time points from 1 min to 60 min post drug administration. There was significant improvement in FEV1 (% predicted) from baseline in both the groups as early as 1 min after drug administration.Salbutamol or formoterol delivered along with inhaled corticosteroid by metered dose inhaler with spacer in children between 5-15 years of age with mild acute exacerbation of asthma had similar bronchodilatory effects.ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00900874Bronchial asthma is one of the commonest chronic respiratory illnesses encountered in clinical practice in both adults and children. Asthma therapeutics can be broadly divided into long-term controllers and short-term reliever medications. Among inhaled bronchodilators, short acting beta agonists (SABA) like salbutamol and terbutaline are preferred in acute asthma exacerbations while inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are the mainstay for long term treatment of asthma [1]. In moderate to severe persistent asthma, long acting beta agonists (LABA) like salmeterol and formoterol are added to ICS [1]. Efficacy and safety of LABA has been demonstrated in both adult and young asthmatics [2].It is desirable to have a single inhaled medication that can be used as both reliever and controller; formoterol is likely to be one such agent as it has both rapid onset and long lasting action [3]. This will facilitate use of a single formulation (ICS + Formoterol) in children with persistent asthma. Few studies performed in adults with acute asthma exacerbation have demonstrated that formoterol was as efficacious and well tolerated as salbutamol [4-6]. Rodrigo et al. identified nine randomized controlled trials (576 patients; 3 trials included children) comparing formoterol with SABAs in acute exacerbation [4]; no significant difference was detected between formoterol and salbutamol in clinical and spirometric parameters.In a system