BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to compare the systemic bioactivity of inhaled budesonide (B) and fluticasone propionate (F), each given by large volume spacer, on a microgram equivalent basis in asthmatic children. METHODS Ten stable asthmatic children of mean age 11 years and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) 81.6% predicted, who were receiving treatment with < or = 400 mic...

Inhaled corticosteroids are the mainstay of asthma therapy, but there is now compelling evidence that addition of a long-acting inhaled β2-agonist, such as formoterol, gives better control in terms of reduced symptoms, improved lung function and reduced exacerbations in patients with mild to severe persistent asthma than increasing the dose of corticosteroids in patients not fully in control by...

Several studies have shown that long-term administration of inhaled corticosteroid reduces airway hyperresponsiveness. This study was performed in order to exclude an acute effect of inhaled corticosteroid. In a double-blind, randomized, cross-over study, children with asthma, who had never used inhaled or oral corticosteroid, received a single dose of 0.8 mg budesonide or placebo on two separa...

BACKGROUND Combining inhaled corticosteroids with long-acting beta(2)-agonists results in improved asthma symptom control and fewer asthma exacerbations compared with those seen after inhaled corticosteroids alone. However, there are limited data as to whether these beneficial effects are due to enhanced anti-inflammatory actions or whether such combination therapies affect airway remodeling in...

BACKGROUND Inhaled glucocorticoids are efficient in protecting against asthma exacerbations, but methods to compare their efficacy vs systemic effects have only been attempted in larger multi-centre studies. The aim of the current study was therefore to directly compare the effects of two separate inhaled glucocorticoids, mometasone and budesonide, to compare the effects on the early and late a...

BACKGROUND There are no published studies that have compared bronchodilatory effect of inhaled budesonide/formoterol combination with budesonide/salbutamol delivered by metered dose inhaler with a spacer in acute exacerbation of asthma in children. We, therefore, compared the bronchodilatory effects of inhaled budesonide/formoterol (dose: 200 μg and 12 μg respectively) combination with budesoni...

BACKGROUND Asthma management may involve a step up in treatment when symptoms are not well controlled. We examined whether budesonide/formoterol maintenance and reliever therapy (MRT) is as effective as higher, fixed-dose budesonide plus as-needed terbutaline in patients requiring step-up from Step 2 treatment (low-dose inhaled corticosteroids), stratified by baseline reliever use. METHODS A ...

We wanted to evaluate whether lung deposition of budesonide and terbutaline sulphate differs, and to determine lung deposition of budesonide inhaled at different peak inspiratory flows, through Turbuhaler. Lung deposition of budesonide, a lipophilic substance, and of terbutaline sulphate, a hydrophilic substance, was therefore compared, after administration via an inspiratory flow-driven, multi...

The aim of this study was to investigate whether treatment with a low daily dose of 400 microg inhaled budesonide (Pulmicort Turbuhaler) in newly diagnosed asthmatics could influence the course of asthma. Seventy five adult patients, mostly with mild asthma, diagnosed during the previous year and bronchial hyperresponsiveness, participated in a double-blind, randomized, parallel-group multicent...

In the present issue of the European Respiratory Journal, BERGER et al. [1] report the lack of efficacy of inhaled budesonide for the prevention of acute mountain sickness (AMS). This small well-designed study was undertaken to verify or refute the provocative finding of robust protection with budesonide against AMS reported by Chinese colleagues in 2014 [2] and 2015 [3]. In the presently repor...