COMBINED ANALYSIS OF FIVE NON-INTERVENTIONAL STUDIES OF THE EFFECTIVENESS, TOLERABILITY AND SAFETY OF THE EXTRAFINE FIXED DOSE BECLOMETHASONE/FORMOTEROL COMBINATION IN THE TREATMENT OF ASTHMA

Abstract

A combined analysis of five non-interventional studies is presented in this article. Thus, the present underlying studies were designed to evaluate whether the treatment with a fixed dose of beclomethasone dipropionate/formoterol fumarate (BDP/FF) combination using a pressurized metered dose inhalers, pMDI, or dry powder inhaler (DPI) in an extra fine formulation is effective and safe in treating asthma patients who were not fully controlled with previous medication in a real-world setting in Austria. The pooled data of five individual NISs demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of a fixed dose of extra fine beclomethasone/formoterol treatment, delivered by pMDI or DPI, in a real-world setting with a heterogeneous patient population suffering from asthma. Significant improvements occurred in asthma control, lung function and symptom scores and these improvements were largely independent of smoking habits, physical activity, and previous treatment. The extra fine fixed dose beclomethasone/formoterol treatment is thus an effective treatment option in routine clinical practice.