The effect of stepping down combination therapy on airway hyperresponsiveness to mannitol

Controversy exists about the safety of long acting beta2-agonist (LABA) treatment, in particular in children. Combination therapy with a LABA and an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) is prescribed to children with moderate asthma and can be stepped down by withdrawal of the LABA when asthma is well controlled.

To analyze the effect of stepping down from LABA/ICS combination therapy to monotherapy with the same dose of ICS on the airway response to mannitol in asthmatic children.

17 children, aged 12-17 years, with clinically stable asthma, receiving combination therapy, were analyzed in this observational prospective open-label study. Children performed a mannitol challenge at baseline and 30±4 days after their medication was stepped down to ICS monotherapy. The changes in the provoking dose of mannitol to cause a 15% fall in FEV(1) (PD(15)), response-dose ratio and recovery time following a short acting beta2-agonist to ≥95% of baseline FEV(1) were assessed.

Mannitol PD(15) and response-dose ratio did not significantly change after stepping down. The recovery time following a short acting beta2-agonist to ≥95% of baseline FEV(1) was significantly shorter (p=0.01) after the withdrawal of the LABA.

In short-term follow-up, stepping down clinically stable asthmatic children from combination therapy to monotherapy with an ICS does not change airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) to mannitol but does shorten recovery time to baseline lung function following a rescue short acting beta2-agonist.