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QUESTIONS: In patients with reactive airway disease, what is the effect of cardioselective β1 blockers on respiratory function? In these patients, how does treatment with β1 blockers affect response to β2 agonists?
Data sources
Studies were identified by searching Medline, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, and CINAHL (all between 1966 and May 2001), and by scanning bibliographies of relevant studies and reviews.
Study selection
Studies in any language were selected if they were randomised, blinded, placebo controlled trials that assessed the effects of intravenous or oral cardioselective β1 blockers, given as a single dose or as continued treatment lasting ≥3 days, on airway function (FEV1 or symptoms) in patients with reactive airway disease (defined as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with a reversible obstructive component).
Data extraction
Data were extracted on study quality, study design, patient characteristics, interventions, comparison groups, and outcomes (change in FEV1; FEV1 response to β2 …
Footnotes
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Source of funding: no external funding.
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For correspondence: Dr S Salpeter, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, California, USA. Shelley.salpeter{at}hhs.co.santa-clara.ca.us