Does oral salbutamol improve fatigue in multiple sclerosis? A pilot placebo-controlled study

Because MS-related fatigue could be associated with enhanced proinflammatory cytokine production, drugs with immunomodulatories properties, such as salbutamol, may represent an alternative treatment. We aimed to evaluate the effect of salbutamol on MS-related fatigue.

Thirty patients with relapsing-remitting MS who were between 18 and 69 years old, and suffering from fatigue, were evaluated with the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and the Brazilian version of the neurological fatigue index for multiple sclerosis (NFI/MS-BR). They received salbutamol 2 mg twice a day or a placebo in a pilot randomized, double-masked placebo-controlled trial. The primary outcome was the change in the FSS score at the end of 90 days. The secondary outcome was the efficacy, represented by changes in their scores on the NFI/MS-BR subdomains (in the same period) and the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) at the end of 90 days.

Thirty subjects were allocated to receive either salbutamol (14) or a placebo (16). There was no superiority of salbutamol over the placebo in the FSS outcome at 30 (p ==0.498), 60 (p = 0.854) and 90 (p = 0.240) days. There was no a significant decrease in the proportion of patients with severe or moderate fatigue in the salbutamol group at the end of the follow-up. The scores on the NFI/MS-BR and its subscales did not improve significantly with treatment. No significant difference was observed in the EDSS outcome (p = 0.313). No serious adverse events were found. An increase in heart rate was evident in the salbutamol group only in the first 30 days, but without statistical significance in relation to placebo (p = 0.077).

Treatment with salbutamol does not improve fatigue in patients with relapsing-remitting MS.