Abstract
The efficacy of twice daily inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate administered by a concentrated aerosol inhaler (one puff twice daily-500 micrograms/day) has been compared with that of treatment four times daily with a standard dose inhaler (two puffs four times daily-400 micrograms/day) in 21 patients with stable asthma. Double placebo inhalers were used in a randomised crossover fashion during two four week treatment periods. Mean peak expiratory flow (PEF), mean symptom scores, and number of extra salbutamol inhalations required were not significantly different between the two treatment periods. Local side effects were more common during treatment with the four times daily active preparation; overt oropharyngeal candidiasis, however, was not found in either group during the study. On completion of the crossover study patients were transferred to the twice daily regimen. At the three month follow up all patients had remained stable and the outpatient PEF was significantly higher (mean 382 (SD 26)l min-1) than at entry into the trial (mean 345 (24)l min-1) (p less than 0.05). Twice daily beclomethasone administered by a concentrated aerosol inhaler appears to be as effective as the standard four times daily regimen in controlling stable asthma.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Altman D. G. Statistics and ethics in medical research: III How large a sample? Br Med J. 1980 Nov 15;281(6251):1336–1338. doi: 10.1136/bmj.281.6251.1336. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Boyd G., Abdallah S., Clark R. Twice or four times daily beclomethasone dipropionate in mild stable asthma? Clin Allergy. 1985 Jul;15(4):383–389. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1985.tb03007.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Godfrey S., Hambleton G., Konig P. Letter: Steroid aerosols and candidiasis. Br Med J. 1974 May 18;2(5915):387–387. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5915.387-b. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Mecoy R. J., Laby B. Beclomethasone diproprionate in twice daily treatment of asthma. Aust Fam Physician. 1980 Oct;9(10):721–726. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Munch E. P., Taudorf E., Weeke B. Dose frequency in the treatment of asthmatics with inhaled topical steroid. Eur J Respir Dis Suppl. 1982;122:143–153. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Smith M. J., Hodson M. E. High-dose beclomethasone inhaler in the treatment of asthma. Lancet. 1983 Feb 5;1(8319):265–269. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(83)91686-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Toogood J. H. Concentrated aerosol formulations in asthma. Lancet. 1983 Oct 1;2(8353):790–791. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(83)92318-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Toogood J. H., Jennings B., Baskerville J., Johansson S. A. Clinical use of spacer systems for corticosteroid inhalation therapy: a preliminary analysis. Eur J Respir Dis Suppl. 1982;122:100–107. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]