Acta Paediatr. 1996 Jun
Daugbjerg P, Nielsen KG, Skov M, Bisgaard H.
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect and tolerability of formoterol 12 micrograms on exercise-induced asthma in children for 12 h as compared to the effect of salbutamol 400 micrograms and placebo. The drugs were inhaled as dry powder from a flow-dependent metered-dose inhaler (DP-MDI). Sixteen asthmatic children took part in a double-blind placebo-controlled within-patient single-centre trial. On each study day the patients were given one of the drugs or placebo in random order, and standardized exercise tests were performed after 3 and 12 h. At a pretrial test the children had demonstrated a median maximum percentage fall of 38% (range 22-79%) in forced expiratory volume in 1 s after exercise challenge. Formoterol showed a median percentage protection of 77% and 70% at 3 and 12 h postexercise, respectively, as compared to 46% and 13% with salbutamol. No side-effects were observed. Formoterol 12 micrograms administered as dry powder offers significantly better protection against exercise-induced asthma after 3 and 12 h as compared to salbutamol 400 micrograms and placebo.
PMID: 8816204
