Beclomethasone dipropionate Easyhaler is as effective as budesonide Turbohaler in the control of asthma and is preferred by patients. German Study Group

Abstract

This randomised, crossover study compared the efficacy, safety, acceptability and patient preference of two multidose powder inhalers (MDPIs)--beclomethasone dipropionate Easyhaler (BDP-EH) and budesonide Turbohaler (BUD-TH)--in 79 stable asthmatics who used inhaled steroids but had no experience of MDPIs. After eight weeks' treatment a mean increase in morning PEF of 16 l/min from a baseline of 356 +/- 112 l/min was observed for each treatment. Similar improvements occurred in evening PEF, FEV1, FVC and asthma symptoms. Both treatments had only minimal effect on morning serum cortisol levels. Compliance with both treatments was high (> 97%) but almost twice as many patients favoured the EH (59%) compared with the TH (33%); 7% rated the devices equally. Scores of device acceptability were significantly in favour of the EH (p = 0.001). BDP-EH and BUD-TH showed comparable efficacy and safety in the treatment of asthma. Each MDPI had a high rate of compliance, but patients registered greater preference for the EH than the TH.