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- Title
Safety and Effectiveness of Long-Acting Inhaled β-Agonist Bronchodilators When Taken with Inhaled Corticosteroids.
- Authors
Ernst, Pierre; McIvor, Andrew; M. Ducharme, Francine; Boulet, Louis-Philippe; FitzGerald, Mark; R. Chapman, Kenneth; Bai, Tony
- Abstract
Long-acting β-agonists are a pillar of therapy for many patients with asthma because they are the preferred add-on therapy to inhaled corticosteroids. However, a recent meta-analysis documented a substantial increase in severe exacerbations requiring hospital admission and life-threatening asthma exacerbations in patients treated with long-acting β-agonists. A careful evaluation of this meta-analysis raises several concerns about its applicability to current practice. Pivotal trials evaluating the benefit of adding long-acting β-agonists to inhaled corticosteroids were not included. The authors of the current paper call for physicians to continue their usual practice of using long-acting β-agonists as adjunctive therapy, as well as for an independent meta-analysis of individual patients using inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting β-agonists concomitantly.
- Subjects
BRONCHODILATOR agents; CORTICOSTEROIDS; ANTIASTHMATIC agents; ASTHMA treatment; ASTHMATICS; META-analysis
- Publication
Annals of Internal Medicine, 2006, Vol 145, Issue 9, p692
- ISSN
0003-4819
- Publication type
Article