Comparison of beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol and prednisolone in reversible airways obstruction.

This paper describes a double-bond crossover trial of prednisolone and beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol in 38 steroid-dependent patients with reversible diffuse airways obstruction. Altogether there was no difference in the patient's preference of the two treatment groups or in the number of times they used their bronchodilator aerosol, or in the forced expiratory volume in one second, vital capacity, or peak expiratory flow rate in the two treatment groups. The plasma cortisol levels when the patients were on the aerosol were much higher than when they were on prednisolone. The use of inhaled aerosol steroids seems to be preferable as it eliminates the usual complications of oral steroid therapy.

Beclomethasone dipropionate: a new steroid aerosol for the treatment of allergic asthma.

Beclomethasone dipropionate was used in pressurized aerosols for the treatment of 60 cases of chronic allergic asthma for up to 15 months. Twenty-eight out of 37 cases were transferred to this treatment after being dependent on oral steroids for up to 16 years. Nineteen out of 23 other asthmatics not dependent on steroids were also completely controlled. No biochemical evidence of adrenal suppression was found. Steroid withdrawal symptoms were often a problem, suggesting absence of systemic absorption. The precise mode of action and metabolic fate of this corticosteroid are not yet known.