Abstract
The effect of long-term treatment with sodium nedocromil on airway hypereactivity was investigated in two groups of 20 patients each. Group I patients presented with allergic asthma while Group II patients presented with intrinsic asthma. For each subject of the two groups, the base FEV1 was measured and nebulized methacholine was administrated in consecutively higher concentrations until a decrease in FEV1 of >20 % was observed. Following measurement, all patients included in the study were treated with 12 mg of sodium nedocromil per day for 12 months. At the end of the treatment, bronchial hyperreactivity was evaluated for a second time by administering the same dosage of methacholine that originally produced a decline in FEV1 of >20 %. In Group I patients (allergic asthma) mean FEV1 was 3126 ml, before challenge, while after methacholine challenge FEV1 was 2400ml. Following 1-year of sodium nedocromil administration the FEV1 was 2601ml (P<0.05). Before treatment, the mean fall in FEV1, following methacholine challenge, was 23.67% while following a 1-year-long sodium nedocromil administration this value reduced to 15.70% (P<0.05). Correspondingly, PC20 was 5.59 while after sodium nedocromil administration it increased to 11.66 (P<0.05). In Group II patients (intrinsic asthma) mean FEV1 was 2750 ml, before challenge, while after methacholine challenge FEV1 was 2066ml. Following 1-year of sodium nedocromil administration the FEV1 was 2223ml (P<0.05). Before treatment, the mean fall in FEV1, following methacholine challenge, was 27.65 % while following a 1-year-long sodium nedocromil administration this value reduced to 21.92 % (P<0.05). Correspondingly, PC20 was 5.91 while after sodium nedocromil administration it increased to 6.19 (P<0.05). The results suggest a positive effect of long-term sodium nedocromil administration in bronchial hyperreactivity for both groups of patients.