Effectiveness of nebulized furosemide added to nebulized salbutamol in children with acute asthma.
BACKGROUND
Nebulized furosemide has been shown to be protective against bronchoconstricting stimuli.


METHODS
To investigate whether inhaled furosemide would exhibit an additional therapeutic effect in children with acute asthma we performed a double-blind, placebo-controlled study in which patients with acute asthma attack were randomized to receive either nebulized salbutamol (0.15 mg/kg) plus nebulized furosemide (10 mg/m(2)) or nebulized salbutamol (0.15 mg/kg) plus nebulized saline as placebo. In all patients, clinical asthma scores (CAS) were determined before and after drug administration. Peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR) were measured by a peak flow meter.


RESULTS
CAS and PEFR improved in both groups with nebulized salbutamol treatment. The CAS changed from 3.56 +/- 2.13 to 2.06 +/- 1.84 (p = 0.0001) in the study group and from 4.44 +/- 2.63 to 2.56 +/- 1.86 (p = 0.0003) in the control group. PEFR increased from 177.50 +/- 65.88 to 221.88 +/- 66.05 L/min in the first group (p = 0.0001) and from 183.13 +/- 51.73 to 218.13 +/- 60.25 in the second group (p = 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Adding nebulized furosemide to nebulized salbutamol in pediatric patients experiencing an acute asthma attack did not produce greater improvement in clinical (p = 0.3829) or spirometric (p = 0.3839) parameters than nebulized salbutamol alone.
Nuhoğlu
Cağatay
C
Haydarpasa Numune Training and Research Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Istanbul, Turkey. cnuhoglu@e-kolay.net
Yaşar Kiliç
Mehmet
M
Ceran
Omer
O
D000208:Acute Disease; D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D000336:Aerosols; D000420:Albuterol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005665:Furosemide / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017211:Treatment Failure
D000336:Aerosols; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D005665:Furosemide; D000420:Albuterol