Add-on salmeterol compared to double dose fluticasone in pediatric asthma: A double-blind, randomized trial (VIAPAED)

Rationale In asthmatic children whose symptoms are uncontrolled on standard doses of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), guidelines recommend to either increase the ICS dose or to add further controller medication, e.g. a long acting s2-agonist (LABA). The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of doubling the dose of ICS (fluticasone proprionate FP 200 µg twice daily) with adding a long-acting beta-2 agonist to the ICS (SFC, salmeterol 50 µg/ FP 100 µg twice daily) in children with uncontrolled asthma. Methods Children between 4 and 16 years of age were eligible for this multicenter, randomized, double blind, double dummy, parallel-group study. During a 14-day run-in phase, al…