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BECLOMETHASONS DIPROPIONATE
Author(s) -
VANDENBERG R.,
TOVEY E.,
LOVE I.,
RUSSELL P.,
TIDMARSH J.,
WLLSON P.,
GEDDES B.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1975.tb111324.x
Subject(s) - prednisone , medicine , corticosteroid , asthma , surgery
Forty‐seven patients with chronic asthma, receiving long‐term oral corticosteroid therapy, have been given a new topically active corticosteroid — beclomethasone dipropionate — by inhalation in a dosage of 300 to 600 μg/day for three to 10 months. Eighteen patients, with an average age of 38 years (range 9 to 67 years), taking an average dose of prednisone of 9.2 mg/day (range 5 to 15 mg/day) had a very good response; they were completely weaned off oral corticosteroid therapy. Sixteen patients, with an average age of 53 years (range 36 to 70 years), taking an average dose of prednisone of 17.0 mg/day (range 5 to 30 mg/day) had a good response; they were able to reduce their oral dosage of steroids by more than 50% to an average dose of 5.7 mg/day (range 1 to 12 mg/day). Ten patients, with an average age of 56 years (range 40 to 64 years), taking an average dose of prednisone of 13.7 mg/day (range 8 to 20 mg/day) had a fair response; they were able to reduce their oral dosage of steroids by less than 50% to an average dose of 9.7 mg/day (range 6 to 15 mg/day). Three patients failed to respond; their average age was 75 years (range 70 to 79 years), and they had been taking an average dose of prednisone of 12.3 mg/day (range 7 to 20 mg/day) before the trial. When results were considered in terms of oral steroid dosage reduction, It was apparent that (i) younger patients had a better response than older patients, (ii) patients with an initial forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1 ) greater than 40% of the predicted normal value had a better response than those patients whose FEV, was less, and (iii) patients with a high level of immunoglobulin E and marked skin reactivity to common allergens responded better than those without. There was no relationship between response and previous duration of oral steroid therapy, initial lung volume or response to inhalation of aerosol sympathomimetic bronchodilator. Three patients out of eight with coexistent emphysema, five out of nine with bronchitis and two with polyarteritis had a good response. Monilial infection in the mouth was noted in 17 patients, but did not prevent a good response.