The present study was designed to compare the fixed combination of beclomethasone and formoterol in a hydrofluoroalkane Modulite (Chiesi Farmaceutici, Parma, Italy) pressurised metered-dose inhaler (pMDI), with a combination of budesonide and formoterol administered via a Turbuhaler (AstraZeneca, Lund, Sweden) dry powder inhaler (DPI). This was a phase III, multinational, multicentre, double-bl...

OBJECTIVE To review the literature about hydrofluoroalkane as a propellent of pressurized metered-dose inhalers containing anti-asthma drugs. SOURCES OF DATA Bibliographic search in electronic databases (MEDLINE, MDConsult, HighWire, Medscape and LILACS) and direct search referring to the past 15 years, using the key words hydrofluoroalkane, asthma and childhood were carried out. SUMMARY OF...

The effects of inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) on asthma symptoms and infiltration of the bronchial mucosa by inflammatory cells were investigated in an open study of 10 patients with mild-to-moderate nonatopic bronchial asthma. Asthma scores were recorded in an asthma diary. Peak expiratory flow (PEF), PEF diurnal variation (PEF%), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1%), meth...

statistical difference between the beclomethasone and placebo groups, there are several important caveats. In screening for this study, 1371 childrenwere seen and 846 children were excluded, mostly for wheezing at the baseline visit and corticosteroid use in the previous month. Had these children been seen a day earlier without wheezing, or a couple weeks later when they were “off” steroids, th...

Metered inhalers using chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) propellents have been gradually replaced by new devices that use hydrofluoroalkanes (HFAs) as their propellents, which are less harmful to the environment. This reformulation led to a substantial improvement of the previous technologies applied to inhalation devices and of the physical characteristics of drugs delivered. In particular, inhaled cor...

OBJECTIVE To describe the long-term outcome of a cohort of children with symptomatic adenotonsillar hypertrophy treated with aqueous nasal beclomethasone. METHODS The children enrolled completed a 4-week single-blind, saline solution controlled crossover study of aqueous beclomethasone (total: 400 micro g/d). In a 24-week open-label follow-on study, beclomethasone 200 micro g/d was offered to...

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Various inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) are available to control the symptoms of asthma. Although beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) and budesonide (BUD) are one of the oldest ICSs, their wide availability and low cost make them attractive options in developing countries. Due to lack of consensus on which of the two drugs is better for controlling mild persistent asthma, w...

OBJECTIVE To assess the prevalence of allergic rhinitis and the factors associated with the use of emergency care services by children and adolescents with acute asthma submitted to inhaled corticosteroid therapy. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted with 126 patients treated with beclomethasone dipropionate for 3 years. The factors associated with emergency care services in the thir...