Tiotropium bromide step-up therapy for adults with uncontrolled asthma.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) therapy improves symptoms in patients whose asthma is poorly controlled by an inhaled glucocorticoid alone. Alternative treatments for adults with uncontrolled asthma are needed.

Methods

In a three-way, double-blind, triple-dummy crossover trial involving 210 patients with asthma, we evaluated the addition of tiotropium bromide (a long-acting anticholinergic agent approved for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but not asthma) to an inhaled glucocorticoid, as compared with a doubling of the dose of the inhaled glucocorticoid (primary superiority comparison) or the addition of the LABA salmeterol (secondary noninferiority comparison).

Results

The use of tiotropium resulted in a superior primary outcome, as

SUBMITTER: Peters SP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3011177 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature