title: Bronchodilating effect of cromolyn sodium in asthmatic patients at rest and following exercise.
abstract: A total of 27 patients with extrinsic asthma participated in a double-blind trial comparing the effect of nebulized cromolyn sodium and placebo on pulmonary function both at rest and after exercise. At rest, cromolyn sodium improved lung function. Compared to baseline, peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) increased by 20.5 + 11.8% and 8.8 +/- 16.0% after cromolyn sodium and placebo, respectively. The difference is statistically significant (p less than 0.01). Following drug administration immediately after completing six minutes of free running exercise, PEFR increased by 2.3 +/- 8.2% with cromolyn sodium, whereas a fall of 19.8 +/- 12.5% was observed with placebo. This difference is significant at the p less than 0.01 level. The results show that cromolyn sodium is capable of producing immediate bronchodilatation in asthmatic subjects, both at rest and following induction of bronchoconstriction by exercise. These findings suggest that cromolyn sodium may have mechanisms of action other than stabilizing mast cell degranulation.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001986:Bronchial Spasm / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D004205:Cromolyn Sodium / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D005082:Physical Exertion; D012146:Rest
chemical_list: D004205:Cromolyn Sodium