Publications by authors named "Maki Hozawa"
Background: If asthma patients fail to achieve symptom control using a medium dose of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) alone, addition of a long-acting β2 agonist (LABA) is the preferred treatment. Currently, there are several combinations of ICS/LABA that are available, each of which has a different property. Here, we aimed to compare the early effects of budesonide/formoterol (BUD/FM; Symbicort(®)) for maintenance and reliever therapy (SMART) with a fixed dose of fluticasone furoate/vilanterol (FF/VI; Relvar(®)).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The study compares the effectiveness of two ICS/LABA combinations (budesonide/formoterol and fluticasone propionate/salmeterol) in asthma patients who haven't controlled symptoms with inhaled corticosteroids alone.
- Both treatment groups showed improvements in airway inflammation, lung function, and symptoms over 8 weeks, with significant enhancements noted in the SMART group (budesonide/formoterol) compared to the FP/SM group.
- The findings suggest that SMART may be a better treatment option for managing asthma symptoms, though further research is needed to understand the reasons behind its effectiveness.
Background: A course of combination therapy with an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and a long-acting β(2) agonist (LABA) for asthma can improve lung function, asthma symptoms and reduce exacerbations. Because both medicinal substance and inhalation devices are associated with clinical efficacy, each ICS/LABA combination may have different features. This study aimed to compare the effects of two widely available formulations, budesonide/formoterol (BUD/FM) delivered by a Turbuhaler(®), and fluticasone/salmeterol (FP/SM) delivered by a Diskus(®), on small airway function and airway inflammation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF