Early achievement and maintenance of stable asthma control using initially higher-dose inhaled corticosteroids as part of combination therapy: an open-label pilot study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Uncontrolled asthma is characterized by considerable variability. Well controlled asthma is associated with less unplanned use of health care resources and fewer acute exacerbations. In this study, we attempted to increase inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) doses initially in suboptimally controlled asthmatics, hypothesizing that early achievement of asthma control using this strategy would be associated positively with a higher level of stability.

Methods

This was a randomized, open-label, prospective study including patients with uncontrolled asthma who were randomized to receive higher-dose (HD) ICS in combination with a long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) for one month and then shifted to doses suggested in the practice guidelines (GD) or to receive GD therapy alone. Lu

SUBMITTER: Cheng SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3692346 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature