Efficacy and safety of fluticasone propionate/formoterol fumarate in pediatric asthma patients: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and safety of fluticasone propionate/formoterol fumarate pressurized metered-dose inhaler (pMDI) (fluticasone/formoterol; Flutiform(®); 100/10 µg b.i.d.) was compared with fluticasone propionate (Flixotide(®) Evohaler(®) pMDI; 100 µg b.i.d.) and fluticasone/salmeterol (Seretide(®) Evohaler(®) pMDI; 100/50 µg b.i.d.) in a pediatric asthma population (EudraCT number: 2010-024635-16). METHODS: A double-blind, double-dummy, parallel group, multicenter study. Patients, aged 5–<12 years with persistent asthma ⩾ 6 months and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) ⩽ 90% predicted were randomized 1:1:1 to 12 weeks’ treatment. The study objectives were to demonstrate superiority of fluticasone/formoterol to fluticasone and non-inferiority to fluticasone/salmeterol. RESULTS: A total of 512 patients were randomized: fluticasone/formoterol, 169; fluticasone, 173; fluticasone/salmeterol, 170. Fluticasone/formoterol was superior to fluticasone for the primary endpoint: change from predose FEV(1) at baseline to 2 h postdose FEV(1) over 12 weeks [least squares (LS) mean difference 0.07 l; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.03, 0.11; p < 0.001] and the first key secondary endpoint, FEV(1) area under the curve over 4 hours (AUC(0–4 h)) at week 12 (LS mean difference 0.09 l; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.13; p < 0.001). Per a prespecified non-inferiority margin of −0.1 l, fluticasone/formoterol was non-inferior to fluticasone/salmeterol for the primary endpoint (LS mean difference 0.00 l; 95% CI −0.04, 0.04; p < 0.001) and first key secondary endpoint (LS mean difference 0.01; 95% CI −0.03, 0.06; p < 0.001). Fluticasone/formoterol was non-inferior to fluticasone/salmeterol for the second key secondary endpoint, change from predose FEV(1) over 12 weeks (treatment difference −0.02 l; 95% CI −0.06, 0.02; p < 0.001), but was not superior to fluticasone for this endpoint (LS mean difference 0.03 l; 95% CI −0.01, 0.07; p = 0.091). All treatments elicited large improvements from baseline to week 12 for the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (LS mean change 0.76 to 0.85 units) and Asthma Control Questionnaire (LS mean change −1.03 to −1.13 units). Few severe exacerbations were seen (fluticasone/formoterol: two; fluticasone/salmeterol: two). All treatments were well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the efficacy and safety of fluticasone/formoterol in a pediatric asthma population and its superiority to fluticasone.