Regular versus symptomatic aerosol bronchodilator treatment of asthma

Abstract

Regular treatment with salbutamol or placebo aerosols was compared in a double-blind study in 18 asthma patients. Although symptom scores and respiratory function tests were not significantly different, wheezing attacks requiring additional puffs of a standard salbutamol aerosol were significantly more frequent during the period on placebo when patients were receiving symptomatic treatment only. Thus regular treatment with bronchodilator aerosols provides better control of asthma than symptomatic use alone.