Increasing doses of inhaled corticosteroids compared to adding long-acting inhaled beta2-agonists in achieving asthma control.
BACKGROUND
Combination therapy with inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) and long-acting beta(2)-agonists (LABAs), or treatment with high doses of ICSs alone improves asthma control when therapy with low-dose ICSs is not sufficient. However, it is not known which of these treatment options is more effective in sustaining asthma control.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of increasing the ICS dosage vs adding LABAs on the time spent with well-controlled asthma or poorly controlled asthma.


METHODS
Post hoc analysis of the Formoterol and Corticosteroid Establishing Therapy study, which compared a fourfold increase in the budesonide dose with and without formoterol.


RESULTS
Time with well-controlled asthma was improved by 19% (95% confidence interval [CI], 3 to 35%; p = 0.017) by adding formoterol, 24 microg/d, to therapy with budesonide, 200 microg/d, compared to 2% (95% CI, -9 to 12%; p = 0.76) with therapy with budesonide, 800 microg/d, alone. Time with well-controlled asthma was further improved by 29% (95% CI, 13 to 47%; p < 0.001) by adding formoterol to therapy with budesonide, 800 microg/d. Time with poorly controlled asthma was significantly reduced using the same interventions by 43% (95% CI, 25 to 57%), 22% (95% CI, 7 to 44%), and 50% (95% CI, 30 to 64%), respectively. Adding formoterol to budesonide was significantly more effective in increasing time with well-controlled asthma when compared to increasing the budesonide dose fourfold (increase, 16%; 95% CI, 1 to 33%; p = 0.035), with a trend for a greater reduction in time with poor control (decrease, 21%; 95% CI, -5 to 42%).


CONCLUSIONS
The addition of formoterol to therapy with low-dose budesonide increases the probability of well-controlled asthma compared to a substantial increase in the dose of an ICS.
O'Byrne
Paul M
PM
Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada. Electronic address: obyrnep@mcmaster.ca.
Naya
Ian P
IP
AstraZeneca R&D, Lund, Sweden.
Kallen
Anders
A
AstraZeneca R&D, Lund, Sweden.
Postma
Dirkje S
DS
Department of Pulmonology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Barnes
Peter J
PJ
National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College, London, UK.
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019819:Budesonide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D004983:Ethanolamines; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D019819:Budesonide; D000068759:Formoterol Fumarate