In a study that compared asthma pills against commonly prescribed inhaled steroids, British researchers found that the oral medications were as effective as the inhaled drugs.
A rarely prescribed asthma drug is easier to use and just as effective as conventional treatment with inhalers. In a study that compared asthma pills against commonly prescribed inhaled steroids, British researchers found that the oral medications were as effective as the inhaled drugs.
Asthma is an increasing problem affecting around 300 million people worldwide and can significantly impact on a person's quality of life. It is a chronic condition characterised by inflammation of the airways causing wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath.
The study was designed to be what the researchers call a "pragmatic" trial, which more closely mimics the way people use medications in real life as opposed to the strict rules of a clinical trial.
The researchers recruited 650 people with mild to moderate asthma and followed them for 2 years. The study volunteers were between the ages of 12 and 80 years, and had inadequate asthma control or an impaired quality of life due to asthma symptoms. The participants were randomly assigned to 2 groups. One arm of the study compared leukotriene-receptor antagonists (LTRAs) to inhaled corticosteroids as a first-line treatment for asthma. The other arm of the study compared people who were already taking inhaled steroids who then added on either a long-acting rescue medication (known as a LABA) or leukotriene-receptor antagonists (LTRAs). Patients were allowed to comply as they wanted to and change medications as they needed to.
The results at two months suggested that LTRAs were similarly effective to inhaled corticosteroids when used as a first-line treatment and to LABAs when used as an additional treatment. After two years, the effectiveness of both treatments was similar but researchers noted that "equivalence was not proved."
Asthma control and the frequency of asthma exacerbations were similar among the groups. There were no significant side effects reported for any of the medications. The study also found that adherence to treatment was vastly improved - by as much as 60 per cent - when patients were given the once-a-day LTRA tablets and patients did not have to worry about using appropriate inhaler technique.
The results indicate that LTRAs could provide an effective alternative to steroid inhalers and other 'preventer' inhalers when used in addition to steroid inhalers, which could be useful for the more than 80 per cent of patients who have problems using inhalers, are unable to use them due to side effects, or do not want to take steroids.
Asthma is an increasing problem affecting around 300 million people worldwide and can significantly impact on a person's quality of life. It is a chronic condition characterised by inflammation of the airways causing wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and shortness of breath.
The study was designed to be what the researchers call a "pragmatic" trial, which more closely mimics the way people use medications in real life as opposed to the strict rules of a clinical trial.
The researchers recruited 650 people with mild to moderate asthma and followed them for 2 years. The study volunteers were between the ages of 12 and 80 years, and had inadequate asthma control or an impaired quality of life due to asthma symptoms. The participants were randomly assigned to 2 groups. One arm of the study compared leukotriene-receptor antagonists (LTRAs) to inhaled corticosteroids as a first-line treatment for asthma. The other arm of the study compared people who were already taking inhaled steroids who then added on either a long-acting rescue medication (known as a LABA) or leukotriene-receptor antagonists (LTRAs). Patients were allowed to comply as they wanted to and change medications as they needed to.
The results at two months suggested that LTRAs were similarly effective to inhaled corticosteroids when used as a first-line treatment and to LABAs when used as an additional treatment. After two years, the effectiveness of both treatments was similar but researchers noted that "equivalence was not proved."
Asthma control and the frequency of asthma exacerbations were similar among the groups. There were no significant side effects reported for any of the medications. The study also found that adherence to treatment was vastly improved - by as much as 60 per cent - when patients were given the once-a-day LTRA tablets and patients did not have to worry about using appropriate inhaler technique.
The results indicate that LTRAs could provide an effective alternative to steroid inhalers and other 'preventer' inhalers when used in addition to steroid inhalers, which could be useful for the more than 80 per cent of patients who have problems using inhalers, are unable to use them due to side effects, or do not want to take steroids.
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