Comparison between oral procaterol and salbutamol in patients with bronchial asthma

The efficacy of procaterol, a new beta 2-selective sympathomimetic drug, was compared with that of salbutamol and placebo in a double-dummy crossover study in 20 asthmatic patients. Procaterol (0.1 mg orally) was given twice daily and salbutamol (4 mg orally) 3-times a day. The study was made up of four consecutive 4-day treatment periods including two periods of plain placebo. A significant direct bronchodilating effect of both procaterol and salbutamol could be seen in PEF values, measured 4-times a day, compared with the effect of placebo (p less than 0.01 for both). Procaterol was slightly superior to salbutamol. The afternoon and evening PEF values during the procaterol period did not differ from the values during the placebo period. In symptom scores, there was significantly more tremor during the procaterol period than during the placebo period (p less than 0.01). Both procaterol and salbutamol produced more palpitation than placebo (p less than 0.05). The study shows that oral procaterol is a potent bronchodilator. The doses of procaterol and salbutamol were not equivalent. Procaterol with the dose used in the study was more potent. Despite this, the duration of the bronchodilator effect of procaterol on a twice daily dosage did not seem to be long enough in all patients.