Usefulness of QVAR for the treatment of bronchial asthma--with and without use of an inhalation device.

Abstract

The treatment of bronchial asthma with QVAR (hydrofluoroalkane-134a BDP; 3M Pharmaceuticals, St. Paul, MN, USA) is usually conducted without an inhalation assistance device. However, Japanese patients who experience difficulty in coordinating activation with inspiration of inhaled steroid drugs are instructed on the use of such a device. We therefore examined the necessity of using an inhalation assistance device (INSPIR-EASE, IE) and its effect on quality of life (QOL) in the treatment of patients with bronchial asthma taking QVAR. Hence, lung function and QOL associated with taking QVAR plus IE or QVAR alone were examined by a cross-over method in 44 bronchial asthma patients (STEP 2 or 3) over 20 years of age. In all patients, lung function tests conducted 12 weeks after start of treatment indicated significant improvements of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) with QVAR alone compared with QVAR plus IE (p < 0.05). In patients less than 70 years of age, significant improvements of forced vital capacity (FVC) and nitric oxide (NO) were also observed with QVAR alone compared with QVAR plus IE (p < 0.05). Examination of QOL the Living with Asthma Questionnaire indicated that medication usage was significantly improved with QVAR alone compared with QVAR plus IE. Significant improvement of FEV1 was observed with QVAR alone compared with QVAR plus IE, and additionally in patients less than 70 years of age improvement of FVC and NO was also marked. This study confirmed the usefulness of QVAR alone in patients with bronchial asthma.

• Authors: Yuji Tohda, Fumio Tsuji, Hirokazu Kubo, Ryuta Haraguchi, Takashi Iwanaga
• Journal: The Journal of asthma : official journal of the Association for the Care of Asthma (J Asthma) Vol. 43 Issue 8 Pg. 613-8 (Oct 2006) ISSN: 0277-0903 [Print] England
• PMID: 17050227 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Aerosols
• Anti-Asthmatic Agents
• Nitric Oxide
• Beclomethasone

Topics

• Activities of Daily Living (classification)
• Adult
• Aerosols
• Aged
• Anti-Asthmatic Agents (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Asthma (drug therapy, psychology)
• Beclomethasone (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Cross-Over Studies
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Female
• Forced Expiratory Volume (drug effects)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Nebulizers and Vaporizers
• Nitric Oxide (blood)
• Quality of Life (psychology)
• Treatment Outcome
• Vital Capacity (drug effects)