Effects of salmeterol in patients with persistent asthma receiving inhaled corticosteroid plus theophylline.
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.
Inoue
Hiromasa
H
Research Institute for Diseases of the Chest, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan. inoue@kokyu.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp
Komori
Masashi
M
Matsumoto
Takafumi
T
Fukuyama
Satoru
S
Matsumura
Mikiko
M
Nakano
Takako
T
Tsuda
Miyuki
M
Matsumoto
Koichiro
K
Kanaya
Akiko
A
Moriwaki
Atsushi
A
Aizawa
Hisamichi
H
Yoshida
Makoto
M
Nakanishi
Yoichi
Y
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
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D000068299:Salmeterol Xinafoate; D013806:Theophylline; D000420:Albuterol