STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine whether treatment of acute asthma with repeated doses of nebulized albuterol leads to greater bronchodilation and lower hospital admission rate than treatment with nebulized isoetharine. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial of albuterol and isoetharine. TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS: Patients between 18 and 50 years old presenting with acute asthma. Patients were excluded if they had a history of sensitivity to the study drugs, had congestive heart failure or chronic-obstructive pulmonary disease, or were unable to perform spirometry. One hundred three patients were entered into the study. INTERVENTIONS: All patients received oxygen and methylprednisolone in addition to administration of either isoetharine or albuterol. The nebulized aerosol was given at hourly intervals for a total of three doses. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Spirometry was performed before treatment and again at 90 and 180 minutes. Initial forced expiratory volume at one minute (FEV1) was 38.1% of predicted normal for the albuterol group and 36.0% of predicted normal for the isoetharine group. At 180 minutes, FEV1 was 55.6% of predicted normal for the albuterol group and 57.1% of predicted for the isoetharine group (NS). Twenty-eight percent of the albuterol group required admission compared with 26% of the isoetharine group (NS). There was no difference in occurrence of side effects between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Repeated doses of albuterol do not lead to a greater improvement in pulmonary function or a lower hospital admission rate than treatment with isoetharine.
RCT Entities:
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine whether treatment of acute asthma with repeated doses of nebulized albuterol leads to greater bronchodilation and lower hospital admission rate than treatment with nebulized isoetharine. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial of albuterol and isoetharine. TYPE OF PARTICIPANTS: Patients between 18 and 50 years old presenting with acute asthma. Patients were excluded if they had a history of sensitivity to the study drugs, had congestive heart failure or chronic-obstructive pulmonary disease, or were unable to perform spirometry. One hundred three patients were entered into the study. INTERVENTIONS: All patients received oxygen and methylprednisolone in addition to administration of either isoetharine or albuterol. The nebulized aerosol was given at hourly intervals for a total of three doses. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Spirometry was performed before treatment and again at 90 and 180 minutes. Initial forced expiratory volume at one minute (FEV1) was 38.1% of predicted normal for the albuterol group and 36.0% of predicted normal for the isoetharine group. At 180 minutes, FEV1 was 55.6% of predicted normal for the albuterol group and 57.1% of predicted for the isoetharine group (NS). Twenty-eight percent of the albuterol group required admission compared with 26% of the isoetharine group (NS). There was no difference in occurrence of side effects between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Repeated doses of albuterol do not lead to a greater improvement in pulmonary function or a lower hospital admission rate than treatment with isoetharine.