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The effect of sodium cromoglycate delivered by Spinhaler and by pressurized aerosol on exercise‐induced asthma in children
Author(s) -
BUNDGAARD A.,
BACHMORTENSEN N.,
SCHMIDT A.
Publication year - 1982
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.1365-2222.1982.tb02559.x
Subject(s) - placebo , medicine , asthma , exercise induced asthma , anesthesia , sodium cromoglycate , aerosol , chemistry , alternative medicine , pathology , organic chemistry
Summary Sixteen children completed a randomized placebo‐controlled double‐blind study comparing the efficacy of pre‐treatment with (1) 20 mg sodium cromoglycate (SCG) powder delivered by Spinhaler, (2) 2 mg SCG delivered by pressurized aerosol and (3) placebo. The drug was administered 15 min before the 6 min of treadmill‐running performed at the same time of day on 3 consecutive days in a climate chamber with a temperature of 23°C and a relative humidity of 40%,. All the patients, none of whom were taking systemic steroids, had shown a post‐exercise fall in peak expiratory flow (PEF) of more than 15% from baseline when tested one day prior to the study. On the day with no pre‐treatment the average post‐exercise fall in PEF was 46% (±4) (mean ± s.e.mean). After pre‐treatment with SCG powder the average fall in PEF was 21%, (±3), after pre‐treatment with SCG aerosol the fall was 22% (±3) and after placebo a post‐exercise fall of 31% (±5) was seen. Both forms of SCG were significantly better than pre‐treatment with placebo. Comparing no pre‐treatment with pre‐treatment with placebo revealed a statistically significant difference ( P < 0.001) indicating a placebo effect. It is concluded that this study design has a marked placebo effect. Both pre‐treatment with 2 mg SCG delivered by pressurized aerosol and 20 mg delivered by Spinhaler is superior to placebo in conferring protection against exercise‐induced asthma (EIA). No bronchodilating effect was seen in the first 15 min after administration of the drug.