Comparison of clinical efficacy and safety between salbutamol-ipratropium bromide nebulization and salbutamol alone in children with asthmatic attack
Abstract
Background Indonesian guidelines for childhood asthma recom-mend giving ipratropium bromide when there are no improvement
after 2 times salbutamol nebulization. The efficacy and safety of
early nebulization of ipratropium bromide combined with salbutamol
as first line in moderate asthma exacerbation in children are still
unknown.
Objective To compare efficacy and safety between nebulized
salbutamol-ipratropium bromide and salbutamol alone in children
with moderate asthma exacerbation.
Methods Fifty-two children (2-6 years) with acute asthma (clinical
score 5-10) were enrolled into a randomized single blind controlled
trial comparing 2 groups of 2.5 mg nebulized salbutamol (group 1)
and 2.5 mg salbutamol combined with 0.5 mg ipratropium bromide
(group 2). Nebulization was given until clinical score decreased
<5, maximum of 3 doses during 2 hours. Clinical measurements
included clinical score, oxygen saturation and side effects which
were assessed every 20 minutes up to 120 minutes. Statistical
test for homogeneity and comparison of clinical outcomes and side
effects used independent t-test, Fisher’s exact test, and Mann-
Whitney U test (P<0.05).
Results The groups were similar in all baseline measures. There
were significantly decreasing clinical score in groups 2 at 20, 40,
60, 80, 100, and 120 minutes (P<0.05), and the means of oxygen
saturation were significantly higher in group 2 at 20, 40, 60, 80,
100, and 120 minutes (P<0.05). In group 1, 11.5% of patients were
hospitalized after the study and none in groups 2 (P> 0.05). There
were no toxic effects attributable to ipratropium bromide, and the
side effects were not different between these two groups.
Conclusion The combination of nebulized ipratropium bromide
and salbutamol in a child with acute moderate asthma exacerba-
tion was associated with higher reduction of clinical score and higher
oxygen saturation, and may reduce hospitalization
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Accepted 2016-10-16
Published 2016-10-18