Bronchodilating effects of extrafine beclometasone dipropionate and formoterol fumarate via pressurized metered dose inhaler in asthmatic children

Introduction: in asthmatic children older than 5 years, the GINA guidelines 2012 update recommend to add inhaled long-acting b2- agonists (LABA) when the disease is not adequately controlled with inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) alone. Controlled studies have shown that fixed combination therapies are as effective as giving each drug separately and may increase patients’ compliance. A paediatric extrafine fixed combination of beclometasone dipropionate (BDP) and formoterol fumarate (FF) via pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI) containing 50mg of BDP and 6mg of FF per actuation (CHF1535) was developed by Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A. (Parma, Italy)