Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Thorax logoLink to Thorax
. 1987 Sep;42(9):664–669. doi: 10.1136/thx.42.9.664

Long term study of the effect of sodium cromoglycate on non-specific bronchial hyperresponsiveness.

C J Jenkins 1, A B Breslin 1
PMCID: PMC460906  PMID: 3120345

Abstract

A double blind, crossover study was undertaken to determine whether non-specific hyperresponsiveness in subjects with asthma was reduced by long term treatment with sodium cromoglycate and, if so, whether this was related to change in lung function. Forty four adult asthmatic subjects (41 atopic, three non-atopic) entered the one year study at intervals staggered over six months. After a baseline period to ensure that asthma control was stable subjects entered the treatment period, during which they inhaled sodium cromoglycate 20 mg four times daily or matching placebo four times daily for 16 weeks each, in random order. Response was assessed at four weekly intervals by measurement of lung function and histamine inhalation tests, from which the provocative concentration of histamine causing a 20% fall in FEV1 (PC20H) was calculated. The assessment included daily symptom score, morning and evening Airflow-meter readings and treatment; mean values for each treatment period and also for the final four weeks of each period were compared. There were no significant differences between placebo and sodium cromoglycate treatment for PC20H, FEV1, morning or evening flow meter readings, bronchodilator usage, or symptom scores for the group as a whole, for the 16 week period or for the final four weeks of each period. Thirteen subjects showed better morning and evening flow meter readings while taking sodium cromoglycate than while taking placebo and eight better readings with placebo than with sodium cromoglycate (p less than 0.05). Improvement in lung function did not correlate with baseline lung function or baseline PC20H, or with features of atopy. These results suggest that long term sodium cromoglycate treatment does not alter non-specific bronchial responsiveness in adult asthmatic subjects.

Full text

PDF
664

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Breslin F. J., McFadden E. R., Jr, Ingram R. H., Jr The effects of cromolyn sodium on the airway response to hyperpnea and cold air in asthma. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1980 Jul;122(1):11–16. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1980.122.1.11. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Casterline C. L., Evans R., 3rd, Ward G. W., Jr The effect of atropine and albuterol aerosols on the human bronchial response to histamine. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1976 Nov;58(5):607–613. doi: 10.1016/0091-6749(76)90207-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cockcroft D. W., Killian D. N., Mellon J. J., Hargreave F. E. Bronchial reactivity to inhaled histamine: a method and clinical survey. Clin Allergy. 1977 May;7(3):235–243. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1977.tb01448.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Cockcroft D. W., Killian D. N., Mellon J. J., Hargreave F. E. Protective effect of drugs on histamine-induced asthma. Thorax. 1977 Aug;32(4):429–437. doi: 10.1136/thx.32.4.429. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Griffin M. P., MacDonald N., McFadden E. R., Jr Short- and long-term effects of cromolyn sodium on the airway reactivity of asthmatics. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1983 Mar;71(3):331–338. doi: 10.1016/0091-6749(83)90088-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hargreave F. E., Ryan G., Thomson N. C., O'Byrne P. M., Latimer K., Juniper E. F., Dolovich J. Bronchial responsiveness to histamine or methacholine in asthma: measurement and clinical significance. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1981 Nov;68(5):347–355. doi: 10.1016/0091-6749(81)90132-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Harvey J. E., Tattersfield A. E. Airway response to salbutamol: effect of regular salbutamol inhalations in normal, atopic, and asthmatic subjects. Thorax. 1982 Apr;37(4):280–287. doi: 10.1136/thx.37.4.280. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Jackson D. M., Richards I. M. The effects of sodium cromoglycate on histamine aerosol-induced reflex bronchoconstriction in the anaesthetized dog. Br J Pharmacol. 1977 Oct;61(2):257–262. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.1977.tb08413.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Juniper E. F., Frith P. A., Dunnett C., Cockcroft D. W., Hargreave F. E. Reproducibility and comparison of responses to inhaled histamine and methacholine. Thorax. 1978 Dec;33(6):705–710. doi: 10.1136/thx.33.6.705. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Kang B., Townley R. G., Lee C. K., Miller Kolotkin B. Bronchial reactivity to histamine before and after sodium cromoglycate in bronchial asthma. Br Med J. 1976 Apr 10;1(6014):867–870. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.6014.867. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Lemire I., Cartier A., Malo J. L., Pineau L., Ghezzo H., Martin R. R. Effect of sodium cromoglycate on histamine inhalation tests. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1984 Feb;73(2):234–239. doi: 10.1016/s0091-6749(84)80013-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Löwhagen O., Lindholm N. B. Short-term and long-term variation in bronchial response to histamine in asthmatic patients. Eur J Respir Dis. 1983 Aug;64(6):466–472. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Löwhagen O., Rak S. Modification of bronchial hyperreactivity after treatment with sodium cromoglycate during pollen season. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1985 Apr;75(4):460–467. doi: 10.1016/s0091-6749(85)80018-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Nogrady S. G., Bevan C. Inhaled antihistamines--bronchodilatation and effects on histamine- and methacholine-induced bronchoconstriction. Thorax. 1978 Dec;33(6):700–704. doi: 10.1136/thx.33.6.700. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Patel K. R., Berkin K. E., Kerr J. W. Dose-response study of sodium cromoglycate in exercise-induced asthma. Thorax. 1982 Sep;37(9):663–666. doi: 10.1136/thx.37.9.663. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Peel E. T., Gibson G. J. Effects of long-term inhaled salbutamol therapy on the provocation of asthma by histamine. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1980 Jun;121(6):973–978. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1980.121.6.973. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Ruffin R. E., Cockcroft D. W., Hargreave F. E. A comparison of the protective effect of fenoterol and Sch 1000 on allergen-induced asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1978 Jan;61(1):42–47. doi: 10.1016/0091-6749(78)90472-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Ryan G., Latimer K. M., Juniper E. F., Roberts R. S., Hargreave F. E. Effect of beclomethasone dipropionate on bronchial responsiveness to histamine in controlled nonsteroid-dependent asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1985 Jan;75(1 Pt 1):25–30. doi: 10.1016/0091-6749(85)90007-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Ryo U. Y., Kang B., Townley R. G. Cromolyn therapy in patients with bronchial asthma. Effect on inhalation challenge with allergen, histamine, and methacholine. JAMA. 1976 Aug 23;236(8):927–931. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Silverman M. Action of disodium cromoglycate. Br Med J. 1972 Feb 26;1(5799):570–570. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5799.570-a. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Silverman M., Connolly N. M., Balfour-Lynn L., Godfrey S. Long-term trial of disodium cromoglycate and isoprenaline in children with asthma. Br Med J. 1972 Aug 12;3(5823):378–381. doi: 10.1136/bmj.3.5823.378. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Snashall P. D., Baldwin C. Mechanisms of sulphur dioxide induced bronchoconstriction in normal and asthmatic man. Thorax. 1982 Feb;37(2):118–123. doi: 10.1136/thx.37.2.118. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Woenne R., Kattan M., Levison H. Sodium cromoglycate-induced changes in the dose-response curve of inhaled methacholine and histamine in asthmatic children. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1979 Jun;119(6):927–932. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1979.119.6.927. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Thorax are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES