title: The dose-response relationship of inhaled corticosteroids in asthma.
abstract: Inhaled corticosteroids are the only class of asthma medication that can reduce symptoms, improve lung function, reduce the frequency of severe exacerbations, including hospital and ICU admissions, and decrease the risk of mortality. The therapeutic dose range for all clinical outcome measures in adults is 100 to 1000 mg/d of beclomethasone dipropionate or budesonide, or 50 to 500 mg/d of fluticasone propionate. Doses in excess of this range are not recommended for routine use because they are likely to increase the risk of systemic side-effects without further major improvement in efficacy. The recommendations are qualified by the recognition that there is considerable individual variability in the response to inhaled corticosteroids in asthma, which would suggest that some patients might obtain greater benefit at higher doses, just as some might obtain maximum benefit at lower doses.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Institute of New Zealand, PO Box 10055, Wellington, New Zealand. richard.beasley@mrinz.ac.nz
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Masoli
authors.forename: Shaun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holt
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weatherall
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beasley
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones