Comparison of effectiveness between nebulized budesonide plus albuterol versus albuterol alone in children with moderate acute asthma

Abstract

Rationale Acute asthma is a common cause of Emergency Department consultation in pediatric population. Beta 2 agonist and systemic corticosteroids have shown to be effective for standard therapy. Inhaled corticosteroids have become accepted as cornerstone of chronic preventive asthma therapy because of their efficacy and lack of systemic effects but they have also emerged has a new therapy with an unclear role in acute asthma management. Methods Randomized, double blind, clinical trial with two parallel groups of patients from 7 to 17 years of age with moderate acute asthma. We compared inhaled treatment with budesonide 500 μg plus albuterol 0.15 mg/kg/dose (Group 1) versus albuterol (Group 2) alone in order evaluate the clinical usefulness of both treatments. The difference between groups was assessed by analysis of variance. Results Group 1; 40 patients (19 female, 21 male, mean age 10.04 +/- 2.31). Group 2; 46 patients (20 female, 26 male, mean age 10.71 +/- 2.06). Symptoms and peak flow before and after treatment were measured. Percent of improvement after treatment of the peak flow in group 1 was 11.6 (SD 9.47 EM 1.49) and in group 2, 9.8 (SD 8.59 EM 1.26). There was not significance between both groups. Conclusions The effectiveness of inhaled corticosteroids in acute asthma is far from clear compared with standard therapy with bronchodilators. There was not a significant difference between groups. Although there was significant difference inside each group.