Review: regular inhaled short acting β2 agonists improve lung function in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Q Is regular treatment with inhaled short acting β2 agonists (ISABAs) effective for stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?
METHODS
Data sources:
Cochrane Collaboration trials register up to and including May 2002 and reference lists of review articles and retrieved studies.
Study selection and assessment:
randomised, placebo controlled trials of ISABAs given to patients with stable COPD for ⩾7 days. Individual study quality was assessed on the basis of allocation concealment.
Outcomes:
forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), breathlessness (visual analogue scale), treatment failure, and patient preference.
MAIN RESULTS
13 crossover trials met the …
