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Therapeutics
Formoterol was more effective than terbutaline when taken as needed for moderate to severe asthma

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebm.6.4.105

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    (2001) Lancet 357, 257; Tattersfield AE, Löfdahl CG, Postma DS, et al.. Comparison of formoterol and terbutaline for as-needed treatment of asthma: a randomised trial.. Jan 27;. :. –61..
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 QUESTION: In patients with moderate to severe asthma who use an inhaled corticosteroid but still require as needed medication, is formoterol (a long acting β2 agonist) more effective than terbutaline (a short acting β2 agonist) when used as needed?

    Design

    12 week randomised (allocation concealed*), blinded (patients and investigators initially),* controlled trial.

    Setting

    35 centres in Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden.

    Patients

    362 patients who were ≥18 years of age (mean age 47 y, 57% women); had had asthma for ≥6 months; had been treated with a constant dose of an inhaled corticosteroid for ≥4 weeks; had an FEV1 of ≥50% of the predicted value, which increased by ≥12% after inhalation of 1.5 mg of terbutaline; and used their relief inhaler about 3–8 times per day on ≥7 days of the 2 week run in period. Exclusion criteria were need for ≥12 inhalations of rescue medication during the …

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    Footnotes

    • Source of funding: AstraZeneca R&D.

    • For correspondence: Professor A E Tattersfield, Division of Respiratory Medicine, City Hospital, Nottingham NG5 1PB, UK. Fax +44 (0)115 840 4771.

    • ↵* See glossary.

    • ↵† p Value calculated from data in article.