• Shao-Yong Gao, Jian-Qiang Huang, Yi-Feng Luo, Zhi-Ping Li, Can-Mao Xie, and Yu-Biao Guo.
• Department of Respiratory Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350005, P. R. China;
• J Thorac Dis. 2012 Dec 1; 4 (6): 583-7.

ObjectiveThis study investigated the rapid onset of bronchodilation effect and compared lung function changes following budesonide/formoterol (Symbicort Turbuhaler®) inhalation in Chinese patients with moderate-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchial asthma.MethodsIn this open-label, parallel-group clinical study, patients eligible for study were divided into COPD group (n=62, mean age 68.16±8.75 years) and asthma group (n=30, mean age 45.80±12.35 years). Lung function tests (include FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, and IC) were performed at baseline (t=0 min time point, value before inhalation of budesonide/formoterol), and then eligible patients received two inhalations of budesonide/formoterol (160/4.5 μg). Lung function tests were reassessed at t=3, 10 and 30 min time point. The primary end-point was lung function change 3 min after drug inhalation, and the secondary end-points were comparison of the gas flow rate (ΔFEV1) and volume responses (ΔFVC, ΔIC) between COPD and asthma patients after inhalation of budesonide/formoterol.ResultsCompared with the baseline, all patients significantly improved their lung function (included FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, and IC) at 3 min (P<0.05). Greater bronchodilation efficacy was found in the asthma group compared with the COPD group (P<0.05). In the asthmatic patients, the curves of FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, IC, showed improvement with an ascending trend at all time points from 3 to 30 min. Whereas in the COPD patients, only the curves of FEV1, FVC, IC showed similar pattern. We found that ΔFVC was significantly higher than ΔFEV1 in both groups (P<0.05), but no significant difference between ΔIC and ΔFEV1 (P>0.05). Compared with COPD group, asthma group had higher level of ΔFEV1 and ΔIC (P<0.05), but no significant difference for ΔFVC can be found.ConclusionsBudesonide/formoterol has a fast onset of bronchodilation effect in patients with moderate-severe COPD and asthma. Greater efficacy was found in the asthma group compared with the COPD group. The gas flow rate and volume responses in patients with COPD differ from those with asthma after inhalation of Budesonide/formoterol.

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