A controlled trial of long-term bronchodilator therapy in cystic fibrosis

To evaluate the effect of long-term bronchodilator therapy in CF patients with demonstrated bronchial hyperresponsiveness, we first performed methacholine challenges to determine responsiveness, then entered 27 patients (16 methacholine responders and 11 nonresponders) into a two-month double-blind crossover trial of albuterol, 90 μg by inhalation four times a day vs placebo. Among the responders, daily PEFR measures improved significantly more during treatment with albuterol (12 ± 32 L/min) than with placebo (–0.4 ± 19 L/min; p (Chest 1991; 99:1088-92)