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Observations on the safety of disodium cromoglycate in long‐term use in children
Author(s) -
SMITH JOHN MORRISON,
PIZARRO YVONNE ARABELLA
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
clinical and experimental allergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.462
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1365-2222
pISSN - 0954-7894
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1972.tb01279.x
Subject(s) - disodium cromoglycate , medicine , inhalation , urine , drug , sodium cromoglycate , allergy , asthma , anesthesia , immunology , pharmacology
Summary A group of eighty‐two children aged 6–18 years were investigated specifically for evidence of toxic or allergic effects from the use of disodium cromoglycate (‘Intal’) for 3 years or more by:1 Radiological examination of the lungs. 2 Records of growth. 3 Haemoglobin estimations. 4 White blood counts. 5 Serum transaminase estimations. 6 Urine examinations. 7 Skin tests by the prick method. 8 Inhalation tests with disodium cromoglycate and lactose powder.There was no evidence of drug‐induced toxic or allergic effects. Random urine samples from 186 patients on treatment with disodium cromoglycate were examined for the quantity of the drug excreted. These suggested that 13·4% were not taking the treatment as instructed and another 16% may not have been using the spinhaler effectively. The failure to take the treatment properly has been noted in other conditions requiring long continued treatment, such as tuberculosis, and must affect both the results and, to some extent, the possibility of toxic effects. It is concluded that disodium cromoglycate treatment is remarkably free of toxic or allergic effects but that an important problem in long‐term management is supervision of the patient's use of the treatment prescribed.