Nicoleta Bâscă *
* Dr. Nicoleta Bâscă – Cercetător științific principal gr. I, Departamentul de Fiziopatologie Respiratorie, Institutul de Pneumoftiziologie “Marius Nasta”
Abstract
The study was designed to compare the efficacy of a new inhaled corticosteroid, fluticasone propionate at a total dayly dose of 200 µg, with beclomethasone dipropionate 400 µg/day in moderate to severe childhood asthma. A total of 48 asthmatic children aged between 4 – 18 years were randomised to receive either fluiicasone propiona te (FP) or beclomethasone dipropionate (BOP), for two months. During the study the patients recorded morning and evening peak expirat ory flow (PEF), symptoms scores and use of p2 against rescue medication. In addition clinic visit pulmonary func tion p arameters (pulmonary volumes, maximal expiratory flows, airways resistance) were measured at the beginning of the study, after the first, fourth and eight week. The siudy results showed that even ai the firs: treatment week, the change from baseline in all function parameters for children using FP was statistically greater than using BPD. The improvement in clinical score was evidently in the FP group. Children using FP also required less relief bronchodilatator medication. Flutocasona propionate may be more effective for severe asthma control than beclomethasone dipropionate.