title: Clinical efficacy of tiotropium in children with asthma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the clinical efficacy of tiotropium in children with asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty children with newly diagnosed moderate persistent asthma were enrolled into this study. The children were randomly assigned to the fluticasone propionate aerosol group or the fluticasone propionate aerosol plus tiotropium group for 12 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lung function was significantly improved in both groups at 4, 8, and 12 weeks compared with baseline (P < 0.01). Moreover, lung function was significantly improved in the tiotropium group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the incidence of severe asthma between the two groups (36.3% and 26.8%, respectively; P > 0.05). Compared with the control group, the number of days and frequency of short-acting beta2-adrenoceptor agonist use was significantly reduced in the tiotropium group (P < 0.05). Awakenings during the night were also significantly decreased (P < 0.00). There were no severe adverse reactions in either of the study groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tiotropium could significantly improve lung function, reduce the use of short-acting beta2-adrenoceptor agonists, and improve sleep in children with asthma. Furthermore, few adverse reactions were reported.
authors.affiliation: Juan Huang, Department of Pediatric Internal Medicine, Hubei Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Ying Chen, Department of Pediatric Internal Medicine, Hubei Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Zhen Long, Department of Pediatric Internal Medicine, Hubei Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Long
authors.affiliation: Xiaoqin Zhou, Department of Pediatric Internal Medicine, Hubei Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoqin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Junhua Shu, Department of Pediatric Internal Medicine, Hubei Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Wuhan 430072, China.
authors.forename: Junhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shu
keywords: Anticholinergic agent; Asthma; Children; Tiotropium