Safety of Bronchodilators and Corticosteroids in Hyper Reactive Air Way Disease in Children Aged 1-12 Years: A Prospective Observational Study

Background Bronchial asthma is a common, chronic inflammatory lung disease which attacks all age groups but often starts in childhood. Patients with moderate to severe asthma have to take long-term anti-inflammatory medications like inhaled corticosteroids daily to control the underlying inflammation and to prevent symptoms and attacks. If symptoms occur, short-term medications like short-acting beta2 agonists are used to relieve them. Materials & Methods A non-experimental prospective observational study for a period of 6 months was conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital with 147 patients from pediatrics ward. The parents of the patient were interviewed for the ADRs (Adverse Drug Reaction) and efficacy of treatment was measured using PEFR with help of breathometer. Results Efficacy of both monotherapy (42.1 %) and combination therapy (57.82 %) was measured using PEFR (Peak Expiratory Flow Rate) and the success rate of monotherapy and combination therapy with PEFR was 66 % and 83 % respectively. Safety profile of both bronchodilators (salbutamol) and inhaled corticosteroids (budesonide) were observed and some ADRs with monotherapy and combination therapy were observed and reported. Conclusion From this study it was found that both efficacy and safety profile is more with combination therapy (bronchodilators+corticosteroids) than with monotherapy.