Controlled trial of oral fenoterol in the treatment of childhood asthma.

We evaluated the effect of oral fenoterol at a daily dosage of 0.25 mg/kg in 17 children with mild bronchial asthma following a double-blind, crossover design. Treatment with fenoterol syrup and matched placebo was given for 4 weeks each and doses administered every six hours. Daily variability of peak expiratory flow rate during fenoterol treatment was not different from that measured during placebo. Fenoterol syrup was associated with a statistically significant improvement in daytime symptom scores, whereas nighttime symptoms were not significantly reduced. Fenoterol significantly reduced the need for supplemental therapy. Adverse effects remained trivial and minimal for all children. This study indicates that fenoterol syrup alone or in combination with inhaled fenoterol may have a role in the maintenance therapy of mild to moderate childhood asthma.