A Clinical Study to Evaluate Symbicort Turbuhaler Used 'as Needed' in Adults and Adolescents With Asthma.
A Clinical Study to Evaluate Symbicort Turbuhaler Used 'as Needed' in Adults and Adolescents With Asthma.
The purpose of this study is to test if Symbicort® (budesonide/formoterol) Turbuhaler® is
 effective in treating asthma when used 'as needed' in patients with milder asthma. The
 efficacy of Symbicort® 'as needed' will be compared with: 1) terbutaline Turbuhaler® 'as
 needed' and with 2) Pulmicort (budesonide) Turbuhaler® twice daily plus terbutaline
 Turbuhaler® 'as needed'.
A 52-week, double-blind, randomised, multi-centre, parallel-group, Phase III study in
 patients 12 years and older with asthma, evaluating the efficacy and safety of Symbicort®
 (budesonide/formoterol) Turbuhaler® 160/4.5 μg 'as needed' compared with terbutaline
 Turbuhaler® 0.4 mg 'as needed' and with Pulmicort® (budesonide) Turbuhaler® 200 μg twice
 daily plus terbutaline Turbuhaler® 0.4 mg 'as needed'
INCLUSION CRITERIA 1. Provision of informed consent prior to any study specific procedures.
 For patients under-age, signed informed consent from both the patient and the patient's
 parent/legal guardian is required 2. Male or Female, ≥12 years of age 3. Documented
 diagnosis of asthma for at least 6 months prior to Visit 1 4. Patients who are in need of
 Step 2 treatment according to Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines 5. Patients treated
 with 'as needed' inhaled short-acting bronchodilator(s) only should have pre-bronchodilator
 Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1) ≥ 60 % of Predicted Normal (PN) and
 post-bronchodilator FEV1 ≥ 80 % PN 6. Patients treated with low stable dose of inhaled
 corticosteroid or leukotriene antagonist in addition to 'as needed' use of inhaled
 short-acting bronchodilator(s) should have pre-bronchodilator FEV1 ≥80 % PN 7. Patients
 should have reversible airway obstruction 8. To be randomized patients must have used
 Bricanyl Turbuhaler 'as needed' on at least 3 separate days during the last week of the run
 in period. EXCLUSION CRITERIA 1. Patient has a history of life-threatening asthma including
 intubation and intensive care unit admission 2. Patient has had an asthma worsening
 requiring change in treatment other than inhaled short-acting bronchodilator(s) within 30
 days prior to Visit 1 or between Visits 1 and 2; or a treatment other than Bricanyl
 Turbuhaler from Visit 2 until randomization 3. Patient has required treatment with oral,
 rectal or parenteral glucocorticosteroids (GCS) within 30 days and/or depot parenteral GCS
 within 12 weeks prior to Visit 1 4. Smoker (current or previous) with a smoking history of
 ≥ 10 pack years 5. Pregnancy, breast-feeding or planned pregnancy during the study.