This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

Budesonide comparable to methylprednisolone for pediatric bronchial asthma attacks

Methylprednisolone and budesonide inhalation suspension showed limited differences regarding the severity of attacks, duration of management, duration of wheezing and hospitalization in patients with moderate bronchial asthma attacks, according to study results.

Researchers in Japan randomly assigned 40 patients, aged 5 years or younger, hospitalized for moderate bronchial asthma attacks between October 2008 and March 2010 to methylprednisolone (mPSL; n = 20) or budesonide inhalation suspension (BIS; n =20).

The researchers’ sought to determine whether BIS could replace intravenous steroid administration as therapy for bronchial asthma attacks.

The patients assigned mPSL began initial treatment with an inhalation mixture of procaterol hydrochloride (0.3 mL) and disodium cromoglycate (2 mL) three times a day and IV administration of mPSL (1 mg/kg) three times a day. Those assigned BIS initiated therapy with procaterol hydrochloride (0.3 mL), followed by BIS (0.5 mg, 2 mL) three times daily.

There were no differences between groups for wheezing duration (BIS, 4 days vs. mPSL, 4.5 days), therapy duration (BIS, 5.1 days vs. mPSL, 4.9 days), or length of hospital stay (BIS, 6.9 days vs. mPSL, 7.7 days).

Patients receiving mPSL, however, needed inhaled bronchodilator more often during days 3 through 6 compared with patients assigned BIS.

“Treatment of moderate bronchial asthma attacks with BIS does not cause adrenocortical suppression, which is a common side effect in systemic administration of mPSL,” the researchers wrote. “Because BIS can be administered at home if a nebulizer is available, it may allow home treatment of asthma without the common side effects of steroid therapy. Thus, this treatment may also help reduce the medical costs associated with hospitalization for bronchial asthma attacks.”

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.