RESUMEN
Smoking is common in asthma and is associated with worse asthma control and a reduced therapeutic response to corticosteroids. The present authors hypothesised that treating smokers with asthma with low-dose theophylline added to inhaled corticosteroids would enhance steroid sensitivity and thereby improve lung function and symptoms. In a double-blind, parallel group exploratory trial, 68 asthmatic smokers were randomised to one of three treatments for 4 weeks: inhaled beclometasone (200 microg day(-1)), theophylline (400 mg day(-1)) or both treatments combined. Outcome measures included change in lung function and Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) scores. At 4 weeks, theophylline added to inhaled beclometasone produced an improvement in peak expiratory flow (39.9 L min(-1), 95% confidence intervals (CI) 10.9-68.8) and ACQ score (-0.47, 95% CI -0.91- -0.04) and a borderline improvement in pre-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second (mean difference 165 mL, 95% CI -13-342) relative to inhaled corticosteroid alone. Theophylline alone improved the ACQ score (-0.55, 95% CI -0.99- -0.11), but not lung function. In the present pilot study, the combination of low-dose theophylline and inhaled beclometasone produced improvements in both lung function and symptoms in a group of smokers with asthma. Larger trials are required to extend and confirm these findings.
Asunto(s)
Antiasmáticos/uso terapéutico , Asma/tratamiento farmacológico , Asma/fisiopatología , Beclometasona/uso terapéutico , Broncodilatadores/uso terapéutico , Fumar/fisiopatología , Teofilina/uso terapéutico , Administración por Inhalación , Administración Oral , Adolescente , Adulto , Análisis de Varianza , Antiasmáticos/administración & dosificación , Broncodilatadores/administración & dosificación , Método Doble Ciego , Quimioterapia Combinada , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Proyectos Piloto , Estudios Prospectivos , Pruebas de Función Respiratoria , Estadísticas no Paramétricas , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
Smokers with asthma show a reduced response to inhaled corticosteroids. We hypothesized that a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) agonist would be superior for the clinical treatment of these asthma patients. Forty-six smokers with asthma were randomized to inhaled beclometasone dipropionate (200 microg per day) or rosiglitazone (8 mg per day) for 4 weeks. Rosiglitazone produced improvements in lung function (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) = 183 ml, P = 0.051; forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75% of the forced vital capacity (FEF(25-75)) = 0.24 l/s, P = 0.030) as compared with inhaled beclometasone dipropionate. Further trials using PPAR-gamma agonists in steroid-resistant airway disease are indicated.