ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and the safety of low dose budesonide/formoterol combination therapy vs.medium dose of budesonide(BUD) dry powder in the management of mild or moderate adult asthma.METHODS: A total of 62 patients with asthma were randomized to Group A(budesonide plus formcterol) or Group B(budesonide).Main outcome measures: daytime symptom and nocturnal symptom,peak expiratory flow(PEF),number of times of using rapid-acting ? 2 agonist and its ADR.RESULTS: After treatment,both groups had significant improvement in daytime symptom and nocturnal symptom(number of times of wakeup),PEF value and lung function,and the dosage of rapid-acting ? 2 agonist was decreased,showing significant differences between the two groups.The ADR was light in degree.CONCLUSION: Inhalation therapy of low dose of glucocorticoid plus long-acting ? 2 agonist is an optimal choice in the management of asthma.The efficacy of glucocorticoid could be enhanced more by combination with low dose and long-acting ? 2 agonist than by simply increasing its own dose.