The controversial role of as-needed short-acting β2-agonist monotherapy in mild asthma: Short review of current guidelines

The controversy surrounding short-acting β2-agonist (SABA) monotherapy for very mild and mild asthma continues in guidelines despite increasing evidence in favor of combined inhaled corticosteroid/reliever therapy. We herein briefly review the findings from two high-quality randomized controlled trials and other safety data to conclude that the efficacy and safety of SABA monotherapy have been overstated, especially in type-2 high or allergic disease.