A comparison of regular salmeterol vs ‘as required’ salbutamol therapy in asthmatic children

AbstractIn a multicentre, double-blind, randomized, parallel study, 426 asthmatic children aged 5–15 years old received salmeterol 50 μg b.i.d. or placebo b.i.d. via the Diskhaler™. All patients had access to inhaled salbutamol to be used on an ‘as required’ (p.r.n.) basis for symptomatic relief. The study design comprised a 2-week baseline, a 12-month treatment period incorporating a 2-week ‘off treatment’ after 6 months, and a 2-week follow-up period at the end of the trial. At the end of 12 months of treatment with salmeterol, the adjusted change from baseline for morning and evening peak expiratory flow rate (PEF) was 56 and 471 min−1, respectively, and this was significantly greater than placebo (P<0·01; P