Study looks at pros and cons of combined asthma treatment

11 Dec 2008 - Posted by the Editorial Team

A new study has looked at the pros and cons of using long-acting beta2-agonists (LABAs) to treat asthma in children.

Research led by Amy Plint of the University of Ottawa in Canada found that although successful in areas such as improvements in lung function, LABAs were an inferior solution to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS).

LABAs are given to reduce the symptoms of asthma and can do so for up to 12 hours. They are often used to relax airways overnight or following periods of intense exercise.

However, Ms Plint said that although LABAs are sometimes recommended as additional therapies for use alongside ICS, there was nothing to suggest this was particularly beneficial to the patient.

"We found no evidence to suggest that LABA should be used alone or in combination with ICS in the majority of young asthma sufferers. ICS should remain the therapy of choice," she added.

Asthma is one of the most common respiratory conditions affecting children, according to advice from the British Lung Foundation.

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• BECODISKS
  ... Moderate asthma (PEF values 60-80% predicted at baseline with 20-30% variability): Patients requiring regular asthma medication and patients with unstable or worsening asthma on other prophylactic therapy or bronchodilator alone. Severe asthma (PEF values less than 60% predicted at baseline with ...
• FLIXOTIDE Diskhaler
  ... intermittent symptomatic bronchodilator asthma medication on a regular daily basis. Moderate asthma: Patients with unstable or worsening asthma despite prophylactic therapy or bronchodilator alone. Severe asthma: Patients with severe chronic asthma and those who are dependent on systemic ...
• SINGULAIR
  ... indicated in the treatment of asthma as add-on therapy in those patients with mild to moderate persistent asthma who are inadequately controlled on inhaled corticosteroids and in whom “as-needed” short acting ?-agonists provide inadequate clinical control of asthma. In those asthmatic patients in ...
• VENTODISKS
  ... adrenoceptors of bronchial muscle. With its fast onset of action, it is particularly suitable for the relief of acute asthma symptoms and the prevention of exercise induced asthma. Salbutamol provides short-acting (4-6 hour) bronchodilation with fast onset (within 5 minutes) in reversible airways ...
• PULVINAL SALBUTAMOL
  ... for the relief of symptoms of asthma, bronchospasm and/or reversible airways obstruction and for the prevention of exercise-and allergen-induced asthma. Pulvinal Salbutamol is particularly suitable for the relief of symptoms in mild, moderate and severe asthma . The use of an inhaled 2-agonist must ...
• BECLOFORTE
  ... asthma . It provides effective anti-inflammatory action in the lungs with a lower incidence and severity of adverse effects than those observed when corticosteroids are administered systemically. Becloforte Inhaler is indicated in the prophylactic management of severe asthma in adults. Severe asthma ...