Comparative Analysis of Measured Outcomes of Acute Asthma Patients in Karachi Undergoing Treatment with Inhaled β Agonists with or without Corticosteroids

Abstract

Objective: To compare the outcome in acute asthma patients post treatment with inhaled beta agonists alone or in combination with corticosteroids.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Medicare Cardiac & General Hospital, Karachi, from October 2024-till July 2025.

Methods: Out of a total of hundred patients with symptoms of asthma visiting OPD, were recommended spirometry test by the Pulmonologist. By spirometry, pulmonary functions were recorded, forced vital capacity, and forced expiratory volume in one second. Forced expiratory volume in one second/ forced vital capacity. Graph 1, 2 represent normal or obstructive lung diseases.

Results: General characteristics of these participants normal and asthmatic were, male(n=62) female ( n= 38), age ( mean: 31 + 12 vs 44± 15.9 years) , ethnicity of both groups were same(Pakistani), BMI (mean 23.58± 0.6 vs
27.17± 4.52 kg/ m2 ) shown in table 1.Pulmonary function test by spirometry was performed to record FVC, FEV1, FEV1/ FVC, PEF for groups with normal function and asthma patients t test was applied to compare both groups in table 1. Changes recorded in FEV1/ FVC ratio post bronchodilator administered inhaled salbutamol alone (mean75.96 ± 4.9), compared to salbutamol and corticosteroids (mean 79.82 ± 1.23) significance was determined by applying t –test ( p  0.005) table 2.

Conclusion: The study concludes that the outcomes of acute asthma treatment with inhaled β agonists in combination with inhaled corticosteroids were much better as compared to beta agonist alone.