Efficacy and Safety of Budesonide/Formeterol Combination Therapy in Asthma Patients

Budesonide/formoterol as single inhaler was developed for treating asthma patients who are not adequately controlled on glucocorticoides alone. The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy, safety and patient/physician satisfaction of budesonide/formoterol therapy.Total of 268 asthma patients (120 men, mean age 38,8 ± 37,2 years, and 148 women, mean age 42,2 ± 32 years) were included in the study. All patients received budesonide/formoterol bid (640 mcg of budesonide and 18 mcg of formoterol daily) during run-in period for three weeks. Patients were followed during 14 weeks at 5 visits.At each visit lung function (FEV1 and PEF) was measured,presence of side affects was recorded and questionnaire was given to patients and physicians to estimate the level of satisfaction with budesonide/formoterol therapy (1 very unsatisfied to 5 very satisfied). Significant improvement was noticed in FEV1, from 76,25% of predicted value to 86,94% (p<0,01); and in PEF from 380,84 L/min to 442,29 L/min (p<0,01) in all patients. At the end of the study patients’ satisfaction with budesonide/formeterol therapy was significantly improved comparing with satisfaction with previously taken therapy,in average grade, from 2,94 to 4,56 (p<0,01),and similar results were noticed with physicians’ satisfaction, from 2,60 to 4,41 (p<0,01). Budesonide/formoterol in single inhaler, significantly improved lung function in patients with asthma

Montelukast in Asthma Treatment in Croatia

The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of montelukast added to previous medication in the treatment of a mild and moderate asthma. Data were obtained via questionnaires given to the physicians and given further to their patients. Patients were divided in two groups, first followed 4 weeks (612 patients) and second followed 8 weeks (91 patients).We found out that there was a significant improvement in FEV (forced expiratory volume in first second) and general condition of patients and decreased number of salbutamol inhalations after using montelukast. In the second group of patients we find out the same significant improvement in FEV, general condition and decrease in salbutamol inhalations after 4 weeks of using montelukast and further improvement after the next month of therapy. We conclude that montelukast is an efficient drug with little side effects and with a good compliance. Montelukast managed to achieve a good asthma control; therefore it has a significant place in asthma therapy

Respiratory findings in textile workers employed in dyeing wool and cotton

Učestalost akutnih i kroničnih respiracijskih simptoma i bolesti te ventilacijska funkcija pluća utvrđeni su u 97 tekstilnih radnika zaposlenih na bojenju vunenih i pamučnih vlakana te u 76 radnika kontrolne neizložene skupine. Učestalost kroničnih respiracijskih simptoma i bolesti bila je značajno visa u tekstilnih radnika u usporedbi s radnicima kontrolne skupine (P<0,01). U 7,2% tekstilnih radnika utvrđeni su simptomi profesionalne astme. Učestalost respiracijskih simptoma bila je veća u izloženih pušača nego u nepušača. U radnika zaposlenih dulje od 10 godina utvrđena je veća učestalost svih respiracijskih simptoma i bolesti u usporedbi s kraće zaposlenim radnicima. U tekstilnih radnika utvrđena je i visoka učestalost akutnih simptoma koji se razvijaju tijekom radne smjene. U tekstilnih radnika utvrđene su značajne akutne redukcije ventilacijskih testova na krivulji maksimalni ekspiracijski protok-volumen (MEFV) koje su varirale od 5,1% za FVC do 12,4% za FEF25. Vrijednosti ventilacijskih testova prije radne smjene u tekstilnih radnika značajno su snižene u usporedbi s predviđenim vrijednostima. Naši rezultati upućuju na to da izloženost radnika pri bojenju tekstilnih vlakana može dovesti do razvoja respiracijskih simptoma i bolesti te oštećenja ventilacijske funkcije pluća.The prevalence of acute and chronic respiratory symptoms and diseases and ventilatory capacity were studied in 97 textile workers employed in dyeing wool and cotton fibres and in 76 non-exposed control workers. The prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms was significantly higher in the textile workers compared to controls. The symptoms of occupational asthma were recorded in 7.2 per cent of the textile workers. The prevalence ot respiratory symptoms was higher in exposed smokers than in exposed non-smokers. The textile workers employed for more than 10 years had a higher prevalence of all respiratory symptoms than those with a shorter period of employment. The textile workers showed a high prevalence of acute symptoms which developed during work shift. Significant acute reductions of ventilatory capacity tests on maximum expiratory flow-volume curves (MEFV) in textile workers varied from 5.1 % for FVC to 12.4% for FEF25. Ventilatory capacity tests in the textile workers before work shift were significantly diminished in comparison to ihe predicted values. Our data indicate that work in the textile dyeing industry may cause the development of respiratory symptoms and diseases as weil as impairment of ventilatory capacity

Efficacy and safety of budesonide/formeterol combination therapy in asthma patients [Učinkovitost i sigurnost kombinacije budezonida i formoterola u bolesnika sa astmom]

Budesonide/formoterol as single inhaler was developed for treating asthma patients who are not adequately controlled on glucocorticoides alone. The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy, safety and patient/physician satisfaction of budesonide/formoterol therapy.Total of 268 asthma patients (120 men, mean age 38.8 +/- 37.2 years, and 148 women, mean age 42.2 +/- 32 years) were included in the study. All patients received budesonide/formoterol bid (640 mcg of budesonide and 18 mcg of formoterol daily) during run-in period for three weeks. Patients were followed during 14 weeks at 5 visits. At each visit lung function (FEV1 and PEF) was measured,presence of side affects was recorded and questionnaire was given to patients and physicians to estimate the level of satisfaction with budesonide/formoterol therapy (1 very unsatisfied to 5 very satisfied). Significant improvement was noticed in FEV1, from 76.25% of predicted value to 86.94% (p < 0.01); and in PEF from 380.84 L/min to 442.29 L/min (p < 0.01) in all patients. At the end of the study patients' satisfaction with budesonide/formeterol therapy was significantly improved comparing with satisfaction with previously taken therapy, in average grade, from 2.94 to 4.56 (p < 0.01), and similar results were noticed with physicians' satisfaction, from 2.60 to 4.41 (p < 0.01). Budesonide/formoterol in single inhaler, significantly improved lung function in patients with asthma

Screening for depression disorders in patients with chronic somatic illness

Depression is one of the most common complications in patients with chronic somatic illnesses. Comorbidity of depression with physical illness often remains unrecognized and untreated, additionally aggravating the somatic illness itself, its treatment and prognosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of depression in chronic somatic patients suffering from diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and hypothyroidism. Patients, who were regularly attending control examinations in neurological and internal medicine out-patient departments, were tested for the presence of depression with Beck Depression Inventory. The sample comprised 2153 chronic somatic patients aged between 18 and 80 years. Out of this total, 228 patients (10.6%) did not complete the study, (5.12%) refused to participate, and (5.5%) of the patients were technical failures. 1925 patients completed the study, and 1383 of them were not depressive. In 542 patients (28.5%) depression was confirmed, being almost twice more frequent in women, 346 (64%) vs. 196 (36%) male. Among these depressed examinees, mild depression was found in 284 (52.4%), major in 186 (34.3%) and severe in 72 (13.3%) chronic somatic patients. The majority of patients were aged over 55 yrs (49%). This population contained the largest number of depressed examinees (49.9%). The prevalence of depression with regard to subgroups shows that (25.6%) of asthma patients were depressed, as well as (26.6%) of those with COPD. These two groups did not present statistically significant differences regarding gender. The depression level of (32.2%) was found in patients with diabetes, of (29.6%) in patients with epilepsy and of (24.2%) among those with hypothyroidism. As for gender, statistically significant difference was found in the last three groups of patients (p < 0.001)