ACAAI: ICS + Formoterol and ICS + SABA Better Than SABA Alone for Asthma
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Oct. 29, 2024 -- For patients with asthma, inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) combined with short-acting β agonists (SABA) and ICS combined with the long-acting β agonist formoterol are each associated with reduced asthma exacerbations compared with SABA alone, according to a study published online Oct. 28 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study was published to coincide with the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, held from Oct. 24 to 28 in Boston.
Daniel G. Rayner, from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and colleagues conducted a systematic review to compare SABA alone to SABA combined with ICS and with fast-onset formoterol combined with ICS for asthma. Data were included from 27 randomized clinical trials with 50,496 adult and pediatric patients.
The researchers found that both ICS-containing relievers were associated with fewer severe exacerbations compared with SABA alone (risk ratios, 0.65 and 0.84 for ICS-formoterol and ICS-SABA, respectively), with high certainty. Both ICS-containing relievers were associated with improved asthma control compared with SABA alone (risk ratio improvement in total score, 1.07 and 1.09 for ICS-formoterol and ICS-SABA, respectively), with high certainty. ICS-formoterol and ICS-SABA were not associated with an increased risk for serious adverse events compared with SABA alone (high and moderate certainty, respectively).
"ICS combined with formoterol and ICS combined with SABA were each associated with reduced asthma exacerbations and improved asthma control compared with SABA alone," the authors write.
Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted October 2024
Read this next
Variables Associated With Heart Failure Compared for Men and Women
THURSDAY, Aug. 28, 2025 -- Asthma, depression, anxiety, and hypothyroidism are associated with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and heart failure with...
COVID-19 Tied to Higher Risk for Inflammatory Diseases of the Airways
THURSDAY, Aug. 28, 2025 -- People who have had COVID-19 have an increased risk for developing certain new-onset type 2 inflammatory diseases of the airways, while receipt of a...
GERD Linked to Increased Incidence of Pulmonary Disease
TUESDAY, Aug. 19, 2025 -- The presence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is associated with an increased incidence of pulmonary diseases, but this effect may be attenuated...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.