title: Cromolyn sodium, five to six years later.
abstract: Ninety-five children with difficult to treat asthma were given cromolyn in double-blind, crossover studies. Of these, 70 were studied for the next five to six years by open trial cromolyn prophylaxis to determine decreasing dependency on bronchodilators or corticosteroids. Evaluated at two-month intervals, 28 children required prednisone and bronchodilators, 37 required round-the-clock bronchodilators only and five required neither. Peak expiratory flow rates were below 80% of predicted normal in eight patients, the remaining 62 showed reversibility of airways obstruction. Exercise-induced asthma was reported by 44 during the first two years but persistent improvement in exercise tolerance occurred in 24 patients. IgE specific RAST indicated a continuing extrinsic element in the etiology of 38 of 45 patients tested. Cromolyn was an effective prophylaxis for children with chronic asthma; however, it was difficult to evaluate in 17 steroid-dependent subjects. Attempts to reduce the need for and especially to discontinue steroids were not as successful as other reports indicate.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004205:Cromolyn Sodium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D004205:Cromolyn Sodium