Switch to non-CFC inhaled corticosteroids: A comparative efficacy study ofHFA-BDP and CFC-BDP metered-dose inhalers

Inhaled corticosteroids, such as beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP), recomme nded for the treatment of persistent, mild, moderate, or severe asthma, hav e traditionally been administered via chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) propellant. The imminent phasing out of CFCs from pharmaceutical preparations due to th e Montreal Protocol means patients will have to switch to a CFC-free altern ative. One such preparation is hydrofluoroalkane-BDP (HFA-BDP),a press-and- breathe metered-dose inhaler. This 8-week, open-label, multicentre study as sessed asthma control in patients switching from CFC-BDP to HFA-BDP (Q(VAR) ). Patients with asthma, stabilised on 400-1600 mu g/day CFC-BDP were rando mised to HFA-BDP (354 patients; 75%) at half their current daily dose of OF C-BDP or to CFC-BDP (119 patients; 25%). HFA-BDP efficacy was found to be e quivalent to that of CFC-BDP in that no statistically significant differenc e was observed between the two groups in the mean change from baseline in a .m. PEF (95% Cl within +/-11 l/min). No statistically significant differenc es were observed between the two groups for increased asthma symptoms or ac ute asthma episodes. We conclude that asthma control was maintained over 8 weeks, with few asthma exacerbations, in patients switching from previous C FC-BDP therapy to HFA-BDP at half the dose.