Slowing the deterioration of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease observed during bronchodilator therapy by adding inhaled corticosteroids. A 4-year prospective study

Ann Intern Med. 1993 May 15;118(10):770-8. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-118-10-199305150-00003.

Abstract

Objective: To determine if deterioration in patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) during bronchodilator therapy could be slowed by additional treatment with an inhaled corticosteroid.

Design: A 4-year prospective study.

Setting: Twenty-nine general practices in the catchment area of the University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.

Patients: The study included 56 patients (28 with asthma and 28 with COPD) who showed an annual decrease in the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) of at least 80 mL in combination with at least two exacerbations per year during bronchodilator therapy alone. Forty-eight patients completed the study.

Intervention: During the first 2 years of treatment, patients received only bronchodilator therapy (salbutamol, 400 micrograms, or ipratropium bromide, 40 micrograms). During years 3 and 4, they received additional treatment with beclomethasone dipropionate, 400 micrograms two times daily.

Results: Prebronchodilator FEV1 increased 458 mL/y (95% CI, 233 to 683 mL/y) during the first 6 months of beclomethasone treatment; FEV1 then decreased 102 mL/y (CI, 57 to 147 mL/y) during months 7 to 24. The annual decline in FEV1 during beclomethasone treatment was less than the decline of 160 mL/y seen before beclomethasone therapy (difference, 58 mL/y; 95% CI, 2 to 87 mL/y). Only in patients with asthma did beclomethasone treatment improve bronchial hyperresponsiveness (assessed by determining the concentration of histamine that provoked a 20% decrease in FEV1 [PC20]) by 3.0 doubling doses per year (95% CI, 0.8 to 5.2 doses per year). Beclomethasone treatment was associated with improvement in peak expiratory flow rate, alleviation of symptoms, and a decrease in the number of exacerbations in both patient groups.

Conclusions: Adding beclomethasone, 800 micrograms daily, slowed the unfavorable course of asthma or COPD seen with bronchodilator therapy alone. This effect was most evident in asthmatic patients.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Inhalation
  • Adult
  • Asthma / drug therapy*
  • Asthma / physiopathology
  • Beclomethasone / therapeutic use*
  • Bronchodilator Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Forced Expiratory Volume / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Lung Diseases, Obstructive / drug therapy*
  • Lung Diseases, Obstructive / physiopathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Peak Expiratory Flow Rate / drug effects
  • Prospective Studies
  • Respiratory Function Tests
  • Smoking / physiopathology
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Bronchodilator Agents
  • Beclomethasone