Sodium cromoglycate attenuates pulmonary inflammation without influencing bronchial responsiveness in healthy subjects exposed to organic dust.
BACKGROUND
Inhalation of organic dust from a pig house induces airway inflammation and increases bronchial responsiveness to methacholine in healthy subjects.


OBJECTIVE
To study whether sodium cromoglycate influences the airway inflammatory reaction and the increase in airway responsiveness induced by inhalation of organic dust.


METHODS
Bronchoalveolar and nasal lavages, and bronchial methacholine challanges were performed and blood samples were drawn in 32 healthy subjects before and after exposure to dust in a pig farm. Sodium cromoglycate was inhaled (20 mg, twice a day) and administered intranasally (5.2 mg, twice a day) by 16 and a corresponding placebo was given to the other 16 healthy controls for two weeks prior to exposure.


RESULTS
Exposure induced a significant increase in inflammatory cells and soluble components (pro-inflammatory cytokines, inflammatory mediators) in bronchoalveolar and nasal lavage fluid in both groups. The increase in neutrophils, interleukin (IL)-6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha as well as myeloperoxidase and soluble intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was significantly reduced by treatment with sodium cromoglycate. Although sodium cromoglycate inhalation largely influenced a variety of inflammatory indices in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid it had no effect on the increase in bronchial responsiveness to methacholine.


CONCLUSIONS
Sodium cromoglycate alters the airway inflammatory response to inhaled organic dust without influencing the dust-induced increase in bronchial responsiveness to methacholine.
Larsson
K
K
Program for Respiratory Health and Climate, National Institute for Working Life, Stockholm, Sweden. klarsson@niwl.se
Larsson
B M
BM
Sandström
T
T
Sundblad
B M
BM
Palmberg
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*; D001980:Bronchi / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004205:Cromolyn Sodium / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004391:Dust / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D016210:Methacholine Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000097:blood* / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012016:Reference Values; D013552:Swine
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D004391:Dust; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D016210:Methacholine Chloride; D004205:Cromolyn Sodium