Table 3

Mean peak flow (PF), asthma symptoms, lung function, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness

Placebo (95% CI)Terbutaline (95% CI)Budesonide (95% CI)Both (95% CI)
Morning PF (l/min)413 (409 to 417)418 (414 to 422)432 (428 to 436)447 (443 to 451)
Evening PF (l/min)421 (417 to 424)445 (442 to 449)437 (434 to 441)463 (459 to 466)
Wakening (% nights)9.6 (8.1 to 11.1)4.0 (2.5 to 5.5)3.4 (1.9 to 4.9)1.9 (0.4 to 3.4)
Night wheeze (% nights)22.6 (19.7 to 25.5)23.1 (20.2 to 26.0)13.5 (10.6 to 16.3)13.6 (10.7 to 16.5)
Day wheeze (% days)32.0 (28.8 to 35.2)20.8 (17.6 to 24.0)18.6 (15.4 to 21.7)12.8 (9.6 to 16.0)
Ipratropium (puffs/day)1.1 (0.96 to 1.22)0.5 (0.38 to 0.64)0.5 (0.37 to 0.63)0.3 (0.19 to 0.45)
Asthma score (% days)27.0 (23.7 to 30.3)22.7 (19.4 to 26.0)17.9 (14.6 to 21.1)13.7 (10.4 to 17.0)
FEV1 (l)2.94 (2.88 to 3.01)2.94 (2.88 to 3.01)3.10 (3.03 to 3.17)3.12 (3.05 to 3.18)
ΔFEV1 (l)−0.06 (−0.13 to 0.02)−0.06 (−0.14 to 0.01)0.11 (0.04 to 0.19)0.09 (0.02 to 0.17)
PD20 (μmol)0.59 (0.45 to 0.78)0.65 (0.49 to 0.85)1.32 (1.00 to 1.73)1.76 (1.33 to 2.32)
ΔPD20 (DD)0.16 (−0.32 to 0.65)0.06 (−0.43 to 0.55)0.79 (0.31 to 1.28)1.39 (0.90 to 1.88)
  • FEV1 = forced expiratory volume in one second; PD20 = provocative dose causing a fall in FEV1of 20% or more.

  • Asthma score recorded as the percentage of days on which the asthma score was >0. Wheeze recorded as the percentage of days/nights on which any wheeze was reported. ΔFEV1 is the mean change in FEV1 from the pretreatment value. PD20 is expressed as the geometric mean. ΔPD20 is the doubling dose (DD) change in PD20 methacholine from the pretreatment value.