Protection against cold air and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction while on regular treatment with Oxis

Area of Science:

• Pulmonology
• Pharmacology
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is a common symptom in asthma patients.
• Regular treatment with inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta-agonists is standard care.
• Assessing the duration of protection from rescue bronchodilators is crucial for asthma management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the duration of protection against EIB offered by formoterol Turbuhaler versus terbutaline Turbuhaler and placebo.
• To evaluate the efficacy of a single inhaled dose of formoterol on top of regular treatment.

Main Methods:

• Open-label, randomized, double-blind, cross-over study design.
• Inclusion of asthmatic patients on regular treatment with formoterol Turbuhaler 9 mcg b.i.d. and inhaled steroids.
• Administration of single doses of formoterol Turbuhaler 9 mcg, terbutaline Turbuhaler 0.5 mg, or placebo, followed by exercise challenge and spirometry (FEV1) at multiple time points.

Main Results:

• Formoterol provided statistically significant protection against EIB for up to 12 hours post-inhalation (P<0.05).
• Post-exercise fall in FEV1 was significantly less with formoterol compared to placebo and terbutaline at all measured time points.
• Terbutaline showed some protection but was significantly less effective than formoterol.

Conclusions:

• Formoterol Turbuhaler 9 mcg offers significant and prolonged protection against EIB in asthmatic patients receiving regular treatment.
• Formoterol's protective effect against EIB is superior to that of terbutaline Turbuhaler 0.5 mg.
• These findings support the use of formoterol for managing EIB in this patient population.