Daily Drugs Not Always Needed for Mild Asthma
Daily Drugs Not Always Needed for Mild Asthma
Study Shows That Patients Fare Just as Well With Symptom-Driven Therapy
Researchers compared changes in tests of lung function, frequency and severity of asthma symptoms, and quality-of-life variables in 255 adult patients with mild symptoms assigned to one of two daily treatment regimens or to treatment only when symptoms occur.
Participants received one of the following treatments: Oral asthma medication and an inhaled placebo; inhaled asthma medication and an oral placebo; or both oral and inhaled placebos.
After a year on the respective treatments, no differences lung function and frequency of severe attacks were seen among any of the three treatment groups. Quality of life was also similar.
The patients taking daily inhaled steroids did report more symptom-free days than those who took the oral, nonsteroid asthma drug every day and those who treated only their asthma symptoms. But this did not translate into an overall difference in perceived quality of life.
"Combined with the fact that there were no significant differences in lung function changes or in the frequency of severe attacks among the treatment groups after a year of treatment, we conclude that, overall, the three treatments had similar clinical effects in this study of mild asthma," says study researcher Homer A. Boushey, MD.
In an editorial accompanying the study, asthma specialist Leonardo M. Fabbri, MD, acknowledged that intermittent treatment is a more appealing approach to controlling mild persistent asthma than daily treatment.
But he adds that the yearlong study by Boushey and colleagues was not long enough to determine if daily treatment to suppress airway inflammation is associated with better long-term lung function.
Kiley says all of the evidence on the treatment of mild persistent asthma is being reviewed by the NHLBI's National Asthma Education Program, and updated guidelines should be released sometime next year.
But even if the guidelines are changed, Kiley says no single approach to asthma treatment will be right for all patients.
"Patients really do need to work with their physician to make sure they are getting the therapy they need to maintain good asthma control," he says.
Daily Drugs Not Always Needed for Mild Asthma
Study Shows That Patients Fare Just as Well With Symptom-Driven Therapy
Little Difference Among Treatment Groups
Researchers compared changes in tests of lung function, frequency and severity of asthma symptoms, and quality-of-life variables in 255 adult patients with mild symptoms assigned to one of two daily treatment regimens or to treatment only when symptoms occur.
Participants received one of the following treatments: Oral asthma medication and an inhaled placebo; inhaled asthma medication and an oral placebo; or both oral and inhaled placebos.
After a year on the respective treatments, no differences lung function and frequency of severe attacks were seen among any of the three treatment groups. Quality of life was also similar.
The patients taking daily inhaled steroids did report more symptom-free days than those who took the oral, nonsteroid asthma drug every day and those who treated only their asthma symptoms. But this did not translate into an overall difference in perceived quality of life.
"Combined with the fact that there were no significant differences in lung function changes or in the frequency of severe attacks among the treatment groups after a year of treatment, we conclude that, overall, the three treatments had similar clinical effects in this study of mild asthma," says study researcher Homer A. Boushey, MD.
Long-Term Impact Not Known
In an editorial accompanying the study, asthma specialist Leonardo M. Fabbri, MD, acknowledged that intermittent treatment is a more appealing approach to controlling mild persistent asthma than daily treatment.
But he adds that the yearlong study by Boushey and colleagues was not long enough to determine if daily treatment to suppress airway inflammation is associated with better long-term lung function.
Kiley says all of the evidence on the treatment of mild persistent asthma is being reviewed by the NHLBI's National Asthma Education Program, and updated guidelines should be released sometime next year.
But even if the guidelines are changed, Kiley says no single approach to asthma treatment will be right for all patients.
"Patients really do need to work with their physician to make sure they are getting the therapy they need to maintain good asthma control," he says.
Source...