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A randomized, double-blind trial of the effect of anti-asthma treatment on lung function in children with asthma

Iwona Stelmach1, Tomasz Grzelewski, Monika Bobrowska-Korzeniowska

  • 1Department of Pediatrics and Allergy, N Copernicus Hospital, Lodz, Poland. alergol@kopernik.lodz.pl

Pulmonary Pharmacology & Therapeutics
|October 19, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Combination asthma treatments significantly improved lung function in children. Using multiple pulmonary function tests (PFTs) provides a better assessment of treatment effectiveness than single measures.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Respiratory Medicine
  • Clinical Pharmacology

Background:

  • Pulmonary function tests (PFTs), particularly spirometry, are vital for assessing early treatment response in pediatric asthma due to their accessibility.
  • Asthma management in children requires effective monitoring tools to evaluate therapeutic interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the effects of various anti-asthma treatments on key pulmonary function parameters in children.
  • To compare the efficacy of monotherapy versus combination therapy in improving lung function.

Main Methods:

  • A 4-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving children aged 6-18 with moderate atopic asthma.
  • Randomized allocation to budesonide (B), montelukast (M), budesonide + montelukast (BM), budesonide + formoterol (BF), or placebo.
  • Measurement of FEV(1), FEF25-75%, R(int), and SR(aw) before and after treatment.

Main Results:

  • Significant improvements in R(int), SR(aw), and FEV(1) were observed across all active treatment groups.
  • FEF25-75% showed significant improvement only in the budesonide + montelukast (BM) and montelukast (M) groups.
  • Combination therapies (BM and BF) demonstrated superior effects on R(int) compared to monotherapies (B or M).

Conclusions:

  • Relying on a single pulmonary function parameter for asthma monitoring can be misleading.
  • Employing a combination of lung function techniques offers a more comprehensive assessment of treatment efficacy.
  • Combined anti-inflammatory therapy yielded the most significant improvements in both large and small airways.
Abstract

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