THE EFFICIENCY OF NEBULIZED SALBUTAMOL MONOTHERAPY AS COMPARED TO COMBINATION THERAPY WITH IPRATROPIUM BROMIDE IN ACUTE SEVERE ASTHMA AMONG CHILDREN

Abstract

Introduction: asthma is a prevalent disease among pediatric population and about 300 million people is affected globally. Although there is many drugs available, suggestion and clinical trials of different drugs and combined regimens are continuously making the management more efficient than before. Short Acting Beta Agonists (SABA) is the ones which are used frequently and muscarinic acetylcholine antagonist ipratropium bromide (IB) are also on the line. The use of SABAs are usually done as single regimen but suggestions have been done that combining with IB may result in efficient outcome. This current study explored the efficiency of Salbutamol montherapy with that of combined regimen with IB and expressed the efficiency in terms of Peak Expiratory Flow Rate measured using spirometer.
 Methods: The study was conducted from March, 2021 to November 2021. The study design is prospective cohort and included 127 pediatric patients. The pediatric patients were considered who had confirmed asthma. The study considered Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) as the determinant of the study outcome. PEFR was measured using spirometer. The patients were divided into 2 groups, group 1 received salbutomol monotherapy while group 2 received ipratropium bromide along with salbutamol. Then the PEFR at the starting of the treatment was measured and after the receiving the monotherapy or the combination, PEFR was measured at fixed interval. The rise of PEFR was plotted against a chart with time in X-axis.
 Result: it was found that the group 2 patients who received a combination therapy of salbutamol and ipratropium bromide have responded more efficiently as compared to the patients of group 1.
 Conclusion: the authors considered that the combination of salbutamol and ipratropium bromide is more efficacious in managing acute moderate to severe asthma among the pediatric population. 
 Keywords: asthma, salbutamol, ipratropium bromide, pefr.