Formoterol used as needed improves health-related quality of life in asthmatic patients uncontrolled with inhaled corticosteroids

Clinical benefits have been shown to occur when using the long-acting beta(2)-agonist formoterol 4.5 mug for as-needed medication rather than terbutaline 500 mug in patients with unstable asthma taking an inhaled corticosteroid. This study compared their effects on health-related quality of Life and the relation with conventional clinical indices in the same population. 362 asthmatics were randomized to use either formoterol 4.5 mug or terbutaline 500 mug as needed, both inhaled via Turbuhaler(R). The Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) was practised at enrolment and completed by 341 patients after randomization and at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Clinical indices were measured at the same time points. Mean overall AQLQ scores were comparable at baseline, being 4.90 in the formoterol and 4.82 in the terbutaline group and improved during treatment by 0.41 and 0.17 units, respectively (mean difference 0.24, 95% Cl 0.08, 0.39, P