A Comparison of Bronchodilator Therapy with or without Inhaled Corticosteroid Therapy for Obstructive Airways Disease

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 327; no. 20; pp. 1413 - 1419
• Main Authors: Kerstjens, Huib A.M, Brand, Paul L.P, Hughes, Michael D, Robinson, N. Jamie, Postma, Dirkje S, Sluiter, Henk J, Bleecker, Eugene R, Dekhuijzen, P.N. Richard, de Jong, Petra M, Mengelers, Hein J.J, Overbeek, Shelley E, Schoonbrood, Danielle F.M.E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA Massachusetts Medical Society 12.11.1992
• Subjects: Anticholinergics; Asthma; Biological and medical sciences; Bronchodilators; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Corticosteroids; Disease; Drug therapy; Histamine; Inhalation; Lung diseases; Medical sciences; Morbidity; Mortality; Obstructive lung disease; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Respiratory system; Smoke; Standard deviation; Studies; Terbutaline; Womens health; Human; Corticosteroid; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Respiratory disease; Bronchodilator; Obstructive pulmonary disease
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJM199211123272003

ASTHMA, a disorder characterized by attacks of dyspnea or wheezing and variable airways obstruction, may cause severe morbidity. 1 The mortality from asthma is rising in several countries. 2 3 4 Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) causes progressive loss of lung function, which also leads to increased morbidity and mortality. 5 Improvement in the prognosis of these diseases should be a major goal of therapy. In asthma, the prognosis is related primarily to the levels of airways obstruction and hyperresponsiveness. 6 , 7 In COPD, the prognosis is related primarily to age and the initial level of airways obstruction, 8 and secondarily to smoking, airways hyperresponsiveness, and perhaps reversibility . . .