title: Comparison of the Bronchodilator Effect of Inhaled Short- and Long-Acting beta(2)-Agonists in Children with Bronchial Asthma: A Randomised Trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study compared the bronchodilator effects of short-acting (salbutamol and procaterol) and long-acting (salmeterol and formoterol) beta(2)-agonists in children with bronchial asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven (18 male, 9 female) children with bronchial asthma were enrolled in the study. Drugs were administered randomly in the morning for 5 days as follows: 1 single dose of two short-acting beta(2)-agonists, salbutamol 200microg and procaterol 20microg, and two long-acting beta(2)-agonists salmeterol 50microg and formoterol 24microg, and placebo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All beta(2)-agonists demonstrated a significantly higher bronchodilator effect than that observed with placebo. This effect appeared to be due to the forced expiratory flows. Formoterol produced a higher bronchodilator effect than salbutamol, and salmeterol showed a bronchodilator effect comparable with salbutamol at 30 minutes but higher than salbutamol after 3 hours.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study confirmed the efficacy of the bronchodilator effects of the beta(2)-agonists. Salmeterol and formoterol, in particular, produced an improvement in respiratory function with a significant increase in forced expiratory flows in children with bronchial asthma.
authors: Department of Paediatrics, University of Chieti, Chieti, Italy.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Verini
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Verrotti
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Greco
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Chiarelli