Annals of Long Term Care

American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry Annual Meeting
Honolulu, Hawaii; March 5-8, 2009

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Meeting; Washington, DC; March 13-17, 2009

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New Data Showed That Combination Asthma Therapy Significantly Improved Small Airway Function in Patients

Washington, DC—Results from three newly presented studies evaluating the maintenance combination asthma therapy budesonide/formoterol fumarate dihydrate showed significant improvement in small airway function in patients ages 12 years and older with asthma previously receiving inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy. Small airways play an important role in the disease, and treatments that go beyond the central airways to reach the small airways may offer benefits in controlling persistent asthma.

Two 12-week studies (Poster 602) and one 52-week study (Poster 291) demonstrated that budesonide/formoterol fumarate dihydrate provided greater improvements in small airway function as compared to its mono-components, budesonide (Posters 602, 291) and formoterol (Poster 602), and placebo (Poster 602). Results were presented at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Annual Meeting held in Washington, DC, March 13-17, 2009.

“These studies are the first to evaluate and suggest an effect of budesonide/formoterol fumarate dihydrate pMDI on midexpiratory flow rates, one potential measure of small airway function, and therefore more studies are needed to further examine the drug’s impact,” said lead investigator Dr. David Pearlman, Colorado Allergy and Asthma Centers.” “Small airways can be subject to inflammation and smooth muscle constriction, which are two main causes of asthma syrnptoms. Treatments that are able to reduce bronchial constriction and reduce inflammation in this area may be beneficial to patients with asthma.”

Small airways, also known as bronchioles, are thin tubes less than 2 mm in diameter that branch off the central airways, which include the windpipe (trachea) and bronchial tubes entering the lung. Small airways are the final and smallest divisions of the lungs and end in bunches of tiny round air sacs called alveoli. The exchange of oxygen between the lung and the bloodstream takes place at the alveoli. Because of their small size and the fact that they contain smooth muscle, small airways are very susceptible to further narrowing from inflammation and muscle constriction resulting from asthma. Therefore, treatments that are able to reduce inflammation and muscle constriction in small airways may improve lung function in asthma patients.

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About Poster 291

Combination budesonide/formoterol fumarate dihydrate was assessed in a 52-week randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, single-dummy safety study of 708 patients age 12 years and older with moderate to severe asthma previously receiving ICS therapy, either alone or in combination with other controller medications. After 2 weeks of treatment with budesonide pMDI 160 mcg two inhalations twice daily, patients were randomized to receive twice-daily treatment with two inhalations of budesonide/formoterol fumarate dihydrate pMDI 160/4.5 mcg (the highest approved dose), four inhalations twice-daily of budesonide/formoterol fumarate dihydrate pMDI 160/4.5 mcg (twice the maximum approved dose), or budesonide pMDI 160 mcg four inhalations twice-daily (twice the ICS dose of the highest approved dose of budesonide/formoterol fumarate dehydrate. Results demonstrated that patients receiving both doses of budesonide/formoterol fumarate dihydrate experienced significantly greater improvements in both pre-dose (P <.05) and post-dose (P <.001) FEF25-75% versus budesonide.