ATC kod: R03AC03, R03CC03
Terbutalin har i flera studier visats ha god effekt vid behandling av akut astma hos både barn och vuxna, men publicerade studier med kliniska relevanta analyser avseende könsskillnader gällande behandlingseffekter saknas.
En mindre studie fann generellt sämre inhalationsteknik hos kvinnor vilket gav lägre effektiv dos.
Vi rekommenderar inte att generellt differentiera användningen mellan kvinnor och män men betonar vikten av att säkerställa god inhalationsteknik.
Terbutaline inhalation, tablets, or parenteral therapy is used for relief and prevention of bronchospasm in bronchial asthma or COPD. Parenteral terbutaline is also sometimes used in pregnant women to prevent premature labor.
In spite of terbutaline being a very hydrophilic substance, a small study on pharmacokinetics of bambuterol and terbutaline (4 men, 4 women), no differences were seen between men and women in distribution volume of terbutaline after parenteral administration [1].
No published studies with a clinically relevant sex analysis regarding the effects of terbutaline have been found.
In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, healthy volunteers (10 men, 10 women) were given either inhaled terbutaline 5 mg or placebo. Terbutaline lowered potassium levels more in women than in men (-15.4% in women vs. -8.5% in men after 1 h). After three hours however, no sex differences were seen. Terbutaline also increased heart rate in both sexes but the effect duration was greater in women. Terbutaline also caused prolongation of QTc in both sexes, an effect that was found to be greater, longer-lasting and more deleterious in women than in men [2]. However, terbutaline is not on the list of QT prolongation drugs with risk of Torsade de Pointes [3].
Regarding teratogenic aspects, please consult Janusmed Drugs and Birth Defects (in Swedish, Janusmed fosterpåverkan).
In a study on inhalation technique using metered dose inhalers (33 men, 26 women), 75% of the participants had an incorrect inhalation technique, especially women, regardless of age. Only 4% of women and 43% of men had an acceptable inhalation technique. The authors speculate that this may add to the worse asthma prognosis in women, shown in a meta-analysis of six trials of randomly assigned asthma treatment [1].
Several studies have shown worse prognosis for women with asthma. In an observational registry study (416 men, 498 women), women were found to have more asthmatic symptoms, worse quality of life and require more health care due to their asthma [2]. In a Danish prospective study on hospitalization due to asthma (6104 men of whom 2.5% had asthma, 7436 women of whom 2.2% had asthma), women had a 1.7 higher relative risk to be hospitalized [3]. An observational study from Singapore found hospitalization due to asthma to be more common in boys than girls aged 0-4 years (boys/girls ratio 1.69). In adults aged 35-64 years, women were more hospitalized (men/women ratio 0.81) [4].
Fler kvinnor än män hämtade ut inhalationspulver eller lösning för nebulisator innehållande terbutalin (ATC-kod R03AC03) på recept i Sverige år 2015, totalt 141 547 kvinnor och 100 110 män. Det motsvarar 29 respektive 21 personer per tusen invånare. I åldersgruppen 0-14 år var terbutalin i genomsnitt 1,3 gånger vanligare hos pojkar och i åldersgruppen 15 år och äldre i genomsnitt 1,4 gånger vanligare hos kvinnor.
Fler män än kvinnor hämtade ut tabletter eller injektionsvätska innehållande terbutalin (ATC-kod R03CC03) på recept i Sverige år 2015, totalt 17 512 män och 15 061 kvinnor. Det motsvarar 3,6 respektive 3,1 personer per tusen invånare. Andelen som hämtade ut läkemedel var högst i åldersgruppen 0-4 år hos båda könen. I genomsnitt var tabletter eller injektionsvätska innehållande terbutalin 1,2 gånger vanligare hos män [8].
Uppdaterat: 2020-08-28
Litteratursökningsdatum: 2016-10-17
Faktagranskat av: Mia von Euler
Godkänt av: Karin Schenck-Gustafsson