Fluticasone furoate/vilanterol versus fluticasone propionate in patients with asthma and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction

AbstractObjective: To investigate whether once-daily (OD) fluticasone furoate(FF)/ vilanterol(VI) provides greater long-term protection from postexercise fall in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) than twice-daily (BD) fluticasone propionate( FP) in patients with asthma and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, crossover studywas conducted in patients (aged 12–50 years) on low-/mid-dose maintenance inhaled corticosteroid. Following a 4-week run-in period( FP250 µg BD), patients with a ≥ 20% decrease in postexercise FEV1 received FF/VI 100/25 µg OD or FP250 µg BD for 2 weeks. Exercise challenges were carried out 23 h after the first dose of study medication, and 12 and 23 h after evening clinic dose at the end of the 2-week treatment period. After a 2-week washout period ( FP250 µg), patients crossed over treatments, with procedures and tests repeated. The primary endpoint was mean maximal percentage decrease from pre-exercise FEV1 following exercise challenge 1...