Fluticasone propionate, salmeterol xinafoate, and their combination in the treatment of nocturnal asthma

摘要

Inhaled corticosteroids have been shown to effectively reduce large circadian fluctuations in peak ex- piratory flow (PEF). Salmeterol xinafoate (SLM), a new long-acting β_2-agonist being used in the treat- ment of nocturnal airway obstruction, has proved to be very effective in this respect as well. However, it is yet unknown whether using SLM alone or in combination with fluticasone propionate (FP) consti- tutes the best treatment. We studied, in a randomized, double-blind, parallel manner, 46 asthmatics with increased circadian variation in PEF (≥15/100) for 6 wk to compare FP 250 μg, and a combination of them, all given twice a day.