Results of the study were presented last week at the 50th Scientific Assembly of the American Academy of Family Physicians, held in San Francisco, California. Nebulized agents are used in special plastic devices that allow the patient to inhale the drug over a period of time, as opposed to inhalers, which deliver drugs in a brief burst.
Nebulizers are easier to use than inhalers, an advantage for treating children.
The Washington trial focused on 471 children between 6 months and 8 years of age, all of whom had persistent asthma for at least 6 months. The researchers assessed the nighttime and daytime asthma scores of all participants over the treatment period. The Washington researcher is encouraged by the study results. White hopes that FDA approval for the new delivery method will arrive within the year. Still, she cautioned that recent reports about the possible effects of steroid use in children on growth may lead FDA officials to ask for additional reports to study the issue.