Therapeutic equivalence of inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate with CFC and non-CFC (HFA 134a) propellants both delivered via the EasibreatheTMinhaler for the treatment of paediatric asthma

AbstractChlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-containing inhalers for use in the treatment of asthma are to be phased out under the terms of the Montreal Protocol (1). In this multi-centre, randomized, double-blind study, the therapeutic equivalence of two formulations of beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) containing CFC or non-CFC (HFA134a) propellant, both delivered via the EasibreatheTM(Norton Healthcare Ltd, London, U.K.) inhaler, was determined in 229 asthmatic children. Each child received 100 μg doses of BDP (containing either CFC or HFA propellant) twice daily for 12 weeks.Both CFC and HFA formulations produced statistically and clinically significant improvements in patient's lung function and symptom scores when administered via the EasibreatheTMinhaler. The improvements in mean morning peak expiratory flow (PEF) were 41 l min−1and 34 l min−1for the BDP-HFA and BDP-CFC products respectively (P<0·001) and for mean evening PEF the improvements were 38 l min−1and 38 l min−1, respectively (P