Can a Low or Moderate Dose of Inhaled Budesonide Replace Oral Non-Steroidal Anti-Asthma Treatment?

Abstract

The efficacy of inhaled budesonide was assessed as an adjunct to and as a replacement for oral bronchodilators in an open study of 27 asthmatic patients. The patients had been treated regularly with oral bronchodilators but not with oral inhaled, or nasal steroids during the 2 3 months prior to the study. The study consisted of four treatment periods: 1, oral bronchodilator plus inhaled placebo for 1 week; 2, oral bronchodilator plus 400 μg inhaled budesonide twice daily for 3 weeks; 3,400 μg inhaled budesonide twice daily for 3 weeks; 4,200 μg inhaled budesonide twice daily for 3 weeks. Lung function measurements increased when budesonide was included with oral bronchodilators and there was a corresponding decrease in symptoms and rescue inhaler usage. Removal of oral bronchodilators from therapy did not significantly alter lung function and symptoms, whereas decreasing the dose of budesonide produced a slight reduction in peak expiratory flow and an increase in inhaled bronchodilator consumption.