title: Immunosuppressive therapy for asthma.
abstract: Over the last four or five years, there have been some serious attempts to look for alternatives to corticosteroids in the management of severe bronchial asthma. Rheumatologists and dermatologists long ago recognized the importance of replacing corticosteroids with other agents. Some agents such as methotrexate are now clearly established through multiple double-blind trials as being appropriate substitutes for corticosteroids, whereas other agents which have been investigated, such as cyclosporin, are very promising. Finally, a third group of agents, including troleandomycin (TAO), have been found to be totally inappropriate as possible substitutes for corticosteroids.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle 98104, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mullarkey
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014217:Troleandomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D003524:Cyclosporins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D014217:Troleandomycin; D008727:Methotrexate