Short-term treatment of asthma with budesonide versus placebo

The effects of the topical steroid budesonide on bronchial hyperreactivity were evaluated in a patient group (A, n = 17) and a placebo-controlled patient group (B, n = 11). Group A was given budesonide 400 micrograms/12 h for 4 weeks and 200 micrograms/12 h for four more weeks. The drug proved efficient in controlling asthma clinically and improving the spirometric parameters: FVC (p < 0.05), FEF50 (p < 0.05) and FEV1 (p < 0.01). Bronchial hyperreactivity (PD20) decreased moderately in the treatment group (p < 0.1). On the contrary, basal spirometry and PD20 worsened in the control group. Some patients in group A showed peripheric eosinophilia (2/15) or in secretions (9/15), which persisted in one patient at end of treatment. Budesonide was effective in the clinical and spirometric control of asthma. We conclude that for a better assessment of the treatment of bronchial hyperreactivity with budesonide, the drug must be administered for a longer period of time. The differences between this study and previous ones is that the improvement in PD20 can be explained by the different characteristics of the patients selected for this study.