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Twelve months, treatment with inhaled salmeterol in asthmatic patients
Author(s) -
Lötvall J.,
Lunde H.,
Ullman A.,
Törnqvist H.,
Svedmyr N.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.363
H-Index - 173
eISSN - 1398-9995
pISSN - 0105-4538
DOI - 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1992.tb00668.x
Subject(s) - salbutamol , salmeterol , medicine , anesthesia , asthma , bronchodilator , inhalation , heart rate , blood pressure , agonist , receptor
Salmeterol is a new β 2 ‐receptor agonist with a prolonged duration of action after inhalation, exceeding 12 h in most patients. We have performed a 12‐month open follow‐up study on 11 patients with reversible asthma. All patients were given salmeterol inhalations (50 μg twice daily). Additional asthma treatment included inhaled corticosteroids in all patients, and oral slow‐release theophylline or β 2 ‐receptor agonists in a minority of patients (3 and 1, respectively). Before salmeterol treatment was initiated and after 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of salmeterol treatment, a cumulative dose‐response curve to inhaled salbutamol (100, 300 and 900 μg) was performed, and FEV 1 measured. We also evaluated the effect of each salbutamol dose on finger tremor, systemic blood pressure and heart rate. Blood tests, including white blood count and electrolytes, were taken at each visit. After salmeterol treatment was initiated, morning FEV 1 , measured before the morning asthma medication, was significantly improved (p<0.05). The responsiveness to inhaled salbutamol was not decreased during salmeterol treatment, except in one patient with asthma worsening over the study year. Baseline finger tremor measured before salbutamol dose‐response curves, was significantly lower at the 12‐month visit than before treatment was initiated (p<0.05). Effects of salbutamol on systemic blood pressure, heart rate or finger tremor was not significantly changed during salmeterol treatment. We found a successive and significant decrease in blood eosinophils (p<0.05) during the 12 months of salmeterol treatment, when the patient with asthma worsening was excluded in the analysis. Also platelet count was significantly decreased during the treatment period (p< 0.001), although within the normal range for all patients. In the present study, we found no evidence that long‐term treatment with inhaled salmeterol (50 μg twice daily) produced decreased β 2 ‐receptor sensitivity in airways.