Budesonide-formoterol reliever therapy versus maintenance budesonide plus terbutaline reliever therapy in adults with mild to moderate asthma (PRACTICAL): a 52-week, open-label, multicentre, superiority, randomised controlled trial

Publication date: Available online 23 August 2019Source: The LancetAuthor(s): Jo Hardy, Christina Baggott, James Fingleton, Helen K Reddel, Robert J Hancox, Matire Harwood, Andrew Corin, Jenny Sparks, Daniela Hall, Doñah Sabbagh, Saras Mane, Alexandra Vohlidkova, John Martindale, Mathew Williams, Philippa Shirtcliffe, Mark Holliday, Mark Weatherall, Richard Beasley, Andrew Corin, Liz DronfieldSummaryBackgroundIn adults with mild asthma, a combination of an inhaled corticosteroid with a fast-onset long-acting β-agonist (LABA) used as reliever monotherapy reduces severe exacerbations compared with short-acting β-agonist (SABA) reliever therapy. We investigated the efficacy of combination budesonide–formoterol reliever therapy compared with maintenance budesonide plus as-needed terbutaline.MethodsWe did a 52-week, open-label, parallel-group, multicentre, superiority, randomised controlled trial at 15 primary care or hospital-based clinical trials units and primary care practices in New Zealand. Participants were adults aged 18–75 years with a self-reported doctor's diagnosis of asthma who were using SABA for symptom relief with or without maintenance low to moderate doses of inhaled corticosteroids in the previous 12 weeks. We randomly assigned participants (1:1) to either reliever therapy with budesonide 200 μg–formoterol 6 μg Turbuhaler (one inhalation as needed for relief of symptoms) or maintenance budesonide 200 μg Turbuhaler (one inhalation twice daily) plus te...
Source: The Lancet - Category: General Medicine Source Type: research