Study Of Inhaled Corticosteroid Combined With Slow-release Theophylline In The Control Of Asthma

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways in which many cells and cellular elements play a role.Inhaled corticosteroids(ICS) combined with long actingβ2-agonist (LABA) is effective and expensive.Theophyllines are non-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitory and were used only as bronchodilator in the past.However, many recent studies have found that theophyllines exert some anti-inflammatory effects and modulate immune function,and the expenture of ICS combined with slow-released theophyllines(SRT) is low.The aim of the present study was to compare ICS combined with SRT orβ2-agonist in asthma control.Our study may provide reference for people with middle-low incom in asthma clinical therapy.Methods:A randomised,opened,parallel,contrastive study was performed in moderate persistent asthmatics.30 patients with continuing symptomatic asthma were randomly treated with budesonide and SRT(budesonide 400μg/d,SRT 0.2g bid)(n=15) or combination of budesonide and LABA(Symbicort)(budesonide 400 ug/d,formoterol 22.5ug/d)(n=15) for 6 weeks.At the start and end of the treatment period symptom scores, PEF,FEV₁%,differential cell counts,IL-4 and Ig-E levels in blood and the level of asthma control at the end of the treatment were observed,and their changes were compared in two groups.Results:1.At the end of the treatment period,in two groups,the proportion of patients who achieved well-controlled asthma were 13.3%(2/15).Compared with pretreatment,obvious decreases is observed in symptoms score and there were no differences between two groups(p＞0.05).2.Compared with pretreatment,in two groups,obvious increases were observed in PEF,FEV₁%.There were no differences in the changes of above indexes between two groups(p＞0.05) or there were obvious increases in SRT group.3.In both groups,the significant decreases were observed for the level of IL-4,Ig-E in blood after the treatment(p＜0.05) and there was significant difference in the change of IL-4(p＜0.05).The percentage of eosinophils(Eos),neutrophils(Neu),lymphocytes(Lym) in blood had not marked changes in two groups after the treatment(p＞0.05).4.The blood levels of IL-4 and Ig-E were in negative correlation with the lung function.(r=-0.852,0.899 P＜0.001)5.The treatment expense of ICS combined with SRT is lower than ICS combined with LABA.Conclusions:ICS combined with SRT or LABA have the same therapeutic effects in asthma control,relieving the symptoms and ameliorating lung function,Both therapys have similar anti-airway inflammation effects. Expense of SRT group is lower than those of LABA group.SO ICS+SRT is economical and effective,it plays a role of substituting for LABA used in low incom people' s asthma therapy.