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Title: Mometasone Inhaler Use Reduces Use of Rescue Medication in Children With Asthma: Presented at AAAAI

"Mometasone Inhaler Use Reduces Use of Rescue Medication in Children With Asthma: Presented at AAAAI"

By Maggie Schwarz WASHINGTON, DC -- March 16, 2009 -- Children with mild to moderate persistent asthma who use mometasone inhaler need less rescue medication than those using a placebo inhaler, according to a study presented here at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting. Investigator William E. Berger, MD, Allergy & Asthma Associates of Southern California, Mission Viejo, California, and colleagues evaluated mometasone furoate in 296 children with mild to moderate persistent asthma and previously maintained on inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy. They presented their study results on March 15. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute's 2008 guidelines state that use of short-acting beta[₂ agonists (SABAs) more than 2 days per week is a sign of inadequate asthma control. In addition, extended use of SABA rescue medication may be associated with serious adverse events.

Concerns about the costs associated with SABA use have been raised because chlorofluorocarbon propellants in metered-dose inhalers were eliminated in favour of hydrofluoroalkane propellants, which are more expensive.

Dr. Berger's research team conducted their study to examine weekly changes in SABA rescue medication use and to determine whether improvements occurred early in treatment and were sustained throughout the duration of treatment.

The researchers assessed a cohort of children previously receiving maintenance therapy with ICSs who were randomised to mometasone dry-powder inhaler 100 mcg QD PM or BID or to placebo. The study was a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, 12-week analysis.

The 296 enrolled children were aged 4 to 11 years and had been diagnosed with asthma for at least 6 months. They had been taking ICS therapy daily for at least 60 days before screening and previous ICS therapy at a stable dose for at least 2 weeks before screening. Baseline albuterol rescue use was 1.3 puffs daily in all treatment groups.

Effect of treatment on rescue medication use, as recorded in daily diaries and averaged over 7-day periods was assessed.

Patients in the mometasone 100 mcg QD PM and 100 mcg BID groups reported mean endpoint reductions in daily rescue medication use of 19.5% and 13.4%, respectively, while those on placebo experienced a mean increase of 22.4% (P <= .006).

Analysis of weekly data revealed clear patterns of reduction in rescue medication use across the 12 weeks in both mometasone groups but not in the placebo group.

Dr. Berger concluded that mometasone dry-powder inhaler 100 mcg either QD PM or BID significantly reduced the need for rescue medication in the present cohort of children with mild to moderate persistent asthma.

Funding for this study was provided by Schering-Plough.

[Presentation title: Effect of Inhaled Mometasone Furoate on the Use of Rescue Medication in Children Aged 4-11 Years With Mild to Moderate Persistent Asthma. Abstract 10]

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