title: Safety and effectiveness of long-acting inhaled beta-agonist bronchodilators when taken with inhaled corticosteroids.
abstract: Long-acting beta-agonists are a pillar of therapy for many patients with asthma because they are the preferred add-on therapy to inhaled corticosteroids. However, a recent meta-analysis documented a substantial increase in severe exacerbations requiring hospital admission and life-threatening asthma exacerbations in patients treated with long-acting beta-agonists. A careful evaluation of this meta-analysis raises several concerns about its applicability to current practice. Pivotal trials evaluating the benefit of adding long-acting beta-agonists to inhaled corticosteroids were not included. The authors of the current paper call for physicians to continue their usual practice of using long-acting beta-agonists as adjunctive therapy, as well as for an independent meta-analysis of individual patients using inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta-agonists concomitantly.
authors.affiliation: McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McIvor
authors.forename: Francine M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ducharme
authors.forename: Louis-Philippe
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Boulet
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: FitzGerald
authors.forename: Kenneth R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bai
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents