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Clinical Question: Is guideline-driven care of patients with asthma using stepwise increases in salmeterol-fluticasone therapy more effective than using fluticasone alone?
Setting: Outpatient (any)
Study Design: Randomized controlled trial (double-blinded)
Allocation: Uncertain
Synopsis: This year-long study involved 3,421 patients between 12 and 80 years of age who had at least a six-month history of asthma, had fewer than 10 pack-years of tobacco use, and had not used oral or long-acting beta agonists in the two weeks before enrollment. The study began with a four-week run-in period during which patients continued their usual treatment.
Patients without two well-controlled weeks were randomized (concealment of allocation not described) to receive salmeterol-fluticasone or fluticasone propionate alone. Each treatment group also...