The Journal of asthma : official journal of the Association for the Care of Asthma
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Treatment of nocturnal asthma by addition of oral slow-release albuterol to standard treatment in stable asthma patients.
Nocturnal and early-morning complaints in asthma patients are sometimes difficult to treat. We investigated the efficacy of an oral osmotically controlled release (OR) formulation of albuterol 8 mg in 35 patients with stable asthma and nocturnal complaints and/or morning dipping of the peak expiratory flow (PEF). The mean age was 45 years (range 22-70), the FEV(1) was 61 +/- 20% of predicted, and inhaled steroids were used by 32 patients. ⋯ Mental fitness was improved, but significantly only in the morning. We concluded that additional treatment with albuterol 8 mg OR once or twice daily did not lead to an overall clinical improvement in this group of patients with nocturnal asthma during standard treatment. In view of the tendency to improvement, it may be worth trying this treatment in individual patients.