title: Effects of salmeterol in patients with persistent asthma receiving inhaled corticosteroid plus theophylline.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with severe asthma require multiple therapies to improve lung function and reduce symptoms. The use of long-acting inhaled beta(2)-agonists plus theophylline in addition to high doses of inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) for the treatment of severe asthma has not been extensively studied.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of salmeterol combined with high-dose ICSs plus theophylline in severe asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  We undertook a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study to compare the effect of a single dose of inhaled salmeterol (50 microg) or a placebo in patients with severe asthma whose conditions were not being adequately controlled by therapies with high-dose ICSs plus oral theophylline with or without leukotriene receptor antagonists.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty patients took part in the trial. Compared with the placebo, the inhalation of salmeterol significantly increased the FEV(1). Even in the 9 patients treated with high-dose ICSs plus theophylline plus a leukotriene receptor antagonist, the FEV(1) increased significantly more after salmeterol than after the placebo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with severe asthma receiving high-dose ICSs plus theophylline may benefit from the addition of salmeterol.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Diseases of the Chest, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan. inoue@kokyu.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hiromasa
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Komori
authors.forename: Takafumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukuyama
authors.forename: Mikiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Miyuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsuda
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kanaya
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moriwaki
authors.forename: Hisamichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aizawa
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000420:Albuterol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000068299:Salmeterol Xinafoate; D013806:Theophylline / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D000068299:Salmeterol Xinafoate; D013806:Theophylline; D000420:Albuterol