To compare efficacy and safety of fixed drug combination of salmeterol / fluticasone and budesonide / formoterol on the lung functions in childhood patients with moderate persistent asthma

Abstract

Objectives: Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in childhood, with increasing prevalence in the recent decades affecting children of all ages, social classes, and ethnic groups. Now day’s combinations of inhaled corticosteroids and long acting β2 agonists are tried in patients not controlled with steroids. In this study we have evaluated and compared the efficacy of two commonly used combinations Salmeterol / fluticasone and budesonide / formoterol on the lung functions and sleep quality in moderate persistent asthma. Method: 68 children were taken with moderate persistent asthma were randomized to receive two different treatments i.e. salmeterol/fluticasone and formoterol/ budesonide in an open, randomized, prospective, comparative study of which sixty patients completed the study successfully. Lung functions were measured using spirometry and quality of sleep was assessed using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Day time sleepiness was assessed by Epworth Sleep Scale. Results: Salmeterol / fluticasone and budesonide / formoterol combinations were comparable in many patient-measured outcomes. Salmeterol/fluticasone and formoterol/ budesonide both significantly increased the forced expiratory volume in first second, forced vital capacity and peak expiratory flow rate, quality of sleep and daytime sleepiness from baseline values. But budesonide / formoterol has been found to be slightly superior to Salmeterol/fluticasone combinations in long term controlling the symptoms of asthma in children. Conclusions: Salmeterol /fluticasone and formoterol/ budesonide, both caused significant improvement in lung functions, and an overall improvement in quality of sleep. However formoterol/ budesonide were slightly more beneficial in improving symptoms in childhood asthma.