Beta Blocker Therapy in Mild to Moderate Asthmatics

Summary

Current asthma medicines include inhalers. A common type of inhaler is called a 'beta-agonist' (e.g. salbutamol). They improve asthma symptoms by stimulating areas in the airway causing it to widen. Although these drugs are useful short term, long term use can make asthma worse in some people. 'Beta-blockers' are the complete opposite type of medication. Just now they are avoided in patients with asthma. Beta-blockers cause problems in asthmatics in the short term, including severe asthma attacks. The other mainstay of inhaler treatment for asthma is inhaled steroid or 'preventer' medication. These work by dampening down the inflammation in the lungs that occurs in asthma. New research has suggested that longer term use of beta-blockers can also reduce airway inflammation which may improve asthma control. This research was done in asthmatic patients who didn't need inhaled steroids to control their asthma. At the moment the investigators are studying to see if there is a benefit of beta-blocker use for asthma over and above asthmatics own usual doses of inhaled steroids. In this study, the investigators will be trying to find out if adding a beta blocker to a smaller dose of steroid inhaler has the same effect on asthma control as just using a higher dose of steroid inhaler by itself.

Timeline

Start

2012-04-04

Primary completion

2013-05-25

Completion

2013-05-25

Publications

• Background Morales DR, Guthrie B, Lipworth BJ, Donnan PT, Jackson C. Prescribing of beta-adrenoceptor antagonists in asthma: an observational study. Thorax. 2011 Jun;66(6):502-7. doi: 10.1136/thoraxjnl-2011-200067. Epub 2011 Apr 1.
• Background Lin R, Peng H, Nguyen LP, Dudekula NB, Shardonofsky F, Knoll BJ, Parra S, Bond RA. Changes in beta 2-adrenoceptor and other signaling proteins produced by chronic administration of 'beta-blockers' in a murine asthma model. Pulm Pharmacol Ther. 2008;21(1):115-24. doi: 10.1016/j.pupt.2007.06.003. Epub 2007 Jul 4.
• Background Nguyen LP, Omoluabi O, Parra S, Frieske JM, Clement C, Ammar-Aouchiche Z, Ho SB, Ehre C, Kesimer M, Knoll BJ, Tuvim MJ, Dickey BF, Bond RA. Chronic exposure to beta-blockers attenuates inflammation and mucin content in a murine asthma model. Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2008 Mar;38(3):256-62. doi: 10.1165/rcmb.2007-0279RC. Epub 2007 Dec 20.
• Background Hanania NA, Singh S, El-Wali R, Flashner M, Franklin AE, Garner WJ, Dickey BF, Parra S, Ruoss S, Shardonofsky F, O'Connor BJ, Page C, Bond RA. The safety and effects of the beta-blocker, nadolol, in mild asthma: an open-label pilot study. Pulm Pharmacol Ther. 2008;21(1):134-41. doi: 10.1016/j.pupt.2007.07.002. Epub 2007 Jul 17.
• Background Lipworth BJ, Williamson PA. Think the impossible: beta-blockers for treating asthma. Clin Sci (Lond). 2009 Oct 12;118(2):115-20. doi: 10.1042/CS20090398.
• Anderson WJ, Short PM, Jabbal S, Lipworth BJ. Inhaled corticosteroid dose response in asthma: Should we measure inflammation? Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2017 Feb;118(2):179-185. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2016.11.018. Epub 2017 Jan 3.
• Anderson WJ, Short PM, Williamson PA, Manoharan A, Lipworth BJ. The inverse agonist propranolol confers no corticosteroid-sparing activity in mild-to-moderate persistent asthma. Clin Sci (Lond). 2014 Dec;127(11):635-43. doi: 10.1042/CS20140249.

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