Therapeutics
Budesonide-formoterol for maintenance and as needed reliever treatment reduced asthma exacerbations
Rabe KF, Atienza T, Magyar P, et al. Effect of budesonide in combination with formoterol for reliever therapy in asthma exacerbations: a randomised controlled, double-blind study. Lancet 2006;368:744–53.[CrossRef][Medline]
Q In patients with asthma receiving budesonide-formoterol (B-F) for maintenance treatment, how does B-F as needed reliever treatment compare with as needed formoterol and as needed terbutaline for reducing exacerbations?
Paediatrics Respirology
Key Words: asthma • budesonide • ethanolamines • terbutaline
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
Design:
randomised controlled trial.
Allocation:
concealed.*
Blinding:
blinded (patients and healthcare providers).*
Follow up period:
12 months.
Setting:
289 centres in 20 countries.
Patients:
3394 patients 
12 years of age (mean age 42 y, 60% women) who had >1 severe asthma exacerbation in the past 12 months, had used inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) for 3 months, and had an FEV1 of 50–100% of predicted normal with 12% reversibility after inhalation of terbutaline, 1 mg. Exclusion criteria included respiratory infection affecting asthma and use of oral corticosteroids within 1 month of study entry.
Intervention:
as needed treatment with B-F, 160/4.5 µg (n = 1113); formoterol, 4.5 µg (n = 1140); or terbutaline, 0.4 mg (n = 1141). Patients were instructed to use their reliever medication 
10 inhalations per day. All patients received B-F, 160/4.5 µg, 1 inhalation twice daily for maintenance treatment.
Outcomes:
first severe exacerbation (emergency department [ED] visit or hospital
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Evid. Based Med. 2007 12: 31-32. (in )[Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]
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