Ds. Pearlman et al., Inhaled salmeterol and fluticasone: a study comparing monotherapy and combination therapy in asthma, ANN ALLER A, 82(3), 1999, pp. 257-265
Background: The current stepwise approach to pharmacotherapy in the treatme
nt of asthma includes the initiation of an inhaled corticosteroid with the
addition of a long-acting inhaled bronchodilator if low dose inhaled cortic
osteroid fails to control asthma symptoms.
Objective: To determine whether initiation of salmeterol and fluticasone pr
opionate treatment together improves asthma control greater than initiation
of monotherapy with the individual agents alone with no additional safety
risk in patients with asthma who had not previously been treated with inhal
ed corticosteroids.
Methods: A total of 136 male and female patients at least 12 years of age w
ith asthma [forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) between 50% and 80%
of predicted] were randomized to twice daily salmeterol 42 mu g, fluticaso
ne propionate 88 mu g, fluticasone propionate 220 mu g, salmeterol 42 mu g
plus fluticasone propionate 88 mu g, salmeterol 42 mu g plus fluticasone pr
opionate 220 mu g, or placebo for 4 weeks.
Results: Patients treated with salmeterol combined with fluticasone propion
ate had improvements over baseline in FEV1 at endpoint that were at least t
wice as great (0.6 to 0.7 L) as improvements in patients treated with salme
terol (0.3 L) or fluticasone propionate alone (0.3 L) (P < .05). Patient-ra
ted data (peak expiratory flow, asthma symptom scores, percent of days with
no asthma symptoms) confirmed greater (P < .05) mean change from baseline
improvements after combined treatment compared with fluticasone propionate
alone. No clinically significant differences were noted between treatment g
roups in any safety measurement.
Conclusion: Initiation of maintenance therapy with salmeterol and fluticaso
ne propionate in patients with asthma treated with short-acting beta(2)-ago
nists alone provides greater improvements in pulmonary function and symptom
control than initiation of maintenance therapy with fluticasone propionate
alone.