A randomised, placebo controlled trial of inhaled salbutamol and beclomethasone for recurrent cough.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that inhaled salbutamol or beclomethasone will reduce the frequency of cough in children with recurrent cough. A secondary aim was to determine if the presence of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) can predict the response.


METHODS
Randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial.


METHODS
During a coughing phase, 43 children (age 6-17 years) with recurrent cough were randomised to receive inhaled salbutamol or placebo (phase I) for 5-7 days and then beclomethasone or placebo (phase II) for 4-5 weeks, and in a subgroup of children for 8-9 weeks. The children used an ambulatory cough meter, kept cough diaries, and performed the capsaicin cough sensitivity, hypertonic saline bronchoprovocation, and skin prick tests.


RESULTS
Salbutamol or beclomethasone had no effect on cough frequency or score, irrespective of the presence of AHR.


CONCLUSIONS
Most children with recurrent cough without other evidence of airway obstruction, do not have asthma and neither inhaled salbutamol nor beclomethasone is beneficial.
Department of Thoracic Medicine, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. achang@mater.org.au
A B
AB
Chang
P D
PD
Phelan
J B
JB
Carlin
S M
SM
Sawyer
C F
CF
Robertson
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000420:Albuterol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001507:Beclomethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D003371:Cough / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D010919:Placebos; D012008:Recurrence; D013147:Spirometry; D017211:Treatment Failure
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D010919:Placebos; D001507:Beclomethasone; D000420:Albuterol