The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 278 No 7440 p212
24 February 2007

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Montelukast/salmeterol combination not recommended

Patients with moderate asthma should not change from an inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting beta₂ agonist (LABA) to a combination of a leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA) and a LABA, data from a crossover study of 192 patients indicate (American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine 2007;175:228).

Patients treated with the LTRA montelukast in combination with the LABA salmeterol experienced a shorter time to treatment failure (P=0.0008), poorer lung function (26L/min difference in morning peak expiratory flow rate; P=0.011) and reduced asthma control (0.22 difference in Asthma Control Questionnaire score; P=0.038) compared with those taking beclometasone plus salmeterol.