Efficacy and compliance to prolonged Duovent treatment of bronchospasm. Comparison with salbutamol

Duovent and salbutamol were compared in 15 patients with stabilized, but partially reversible chronic bronchospasm to verify the persistence of therapeutic effect, bronchodilator efficacy and patient compliance to prolonged treatment with these drugs. Results showed: Clinical efficacy; good protection from bronchospasm. Cough, day-time and nocturnal dyspnoea and the number of additional sprays required were better controlled with Duovent. Activity and bronchodilator efficacy: FVC and even more so FEV1 were sufficiently stable in baseline conditions with negligible variations at the various control times with both drugs, although Duovent was slightly more favourable. Bronchodilator efficacy was maintained more significantly with Duovent compared to salbutamol even after 5 h. Patient compliance: this was better with Duovent, both from the patient's personal opinion and because of the fewer number of daily administrations which the patient received (3 instead of 4).