title: Oral salbutamol vs fenoterol in childhood asthma.
abstract: A study to compare the effects of single oral doses of salbutamol (4 mg) and fenoterol (5 mg) was carried out in 22 asthmatic children aged 6-14 years. The patients received both drugs sequentially on two consecutive days within a week in a randomized, double-blind, crossover fashion. Peak expiratory flow rate, spirometry, flow-volume loops and whole body plethysmography were performed basally, at half-an-hour and hourly from 1 through 6 h. In 17 cases, all four pulmonary tests were performed also 8 h after drug administration. No significant difference in bronchodilator power was observed. Both drugs produced a significant increase in heart rate, which was more pronounced after fenoterol. These data suggest that, at the doses used, salbutamol may be a preferable choice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Hospital Infantil de Cruces, Bilbao, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vázquez
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Román
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Azcarate
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodriguez Soriano
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000420:Albuterol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005280:Fenoterol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests
chemical_list: D005280:Fenoterol; D000420:Albuterol