A single dose comparison of a combination of fenoterol and ipratropium aerosols in bronchial asthma.

Nine patients with reversible obstructive airways disease were studied to compare the bronchodilator response to a combination of fenoterol and ipratropium aerosols with two dose levels of fenoterol alone. Using a double-blind, cross-over, single dose regime, 200 micrograms fenoterol hydrobromide and 80 micrograms ipratropium bromide was compared to 400 micrograms fenoterol + placebo, and to 200 micrograms fenoterol + placebo. There was no significant difference between the combination and either dose of fenoterol in terms of peak or duration of response as determined by absolute or percent change in forced expiratory volume in one second, or forced vital capacity, over baseline.

A comparison of the duration of action of fenoterol and salbutamol in asthma.

Nine asthmatic subjects were given fenoterol or salbutamol aerosol in a double-blind, placebo controlled, crossover study to compare the duration of action of these two drugs. The dose of each drug used was determined in a separate study in 2 asthmatics when 400 micrograms of each drug by aerosol was found to produce the same degree of bronchodilatation. Both drugs produced significant bronchodilator response compared to placebo but, in the doses used, namely, salbutamol 4 puffs (equivalent to 1.6 mumol free base) fenoterol 2 puffs (equivalent to 1.0 mumol free base), only salbutamol showed a significant increase in FEV1 at 8 hours. There were no significant side-effects, or changes in pulse and blood pressure with either drug.

Metabolic effects of salbutamol: comparison of aerosol and intravenous administration.

The effects of intravenous salbutamol (4 mug/kg) were compared with those of aerosol salbutamol (200 mug) in 10 asthmatic patients in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Both methods of administration produced equal bronchodilatation. Intravenous salbutamol caused significant increases in plasma insulin and glucose levels and a fall in serum potassium concentration in addition to tachycardia and tremor, whereas aerosol salbutamol produced only a small transient increase in the plasma glucose level. The initially raised non-esterified fatty acid levels decreased significantly after aerosol and placebo but not after intravenous salbutamol.

Extrinsic allergic alveolitis and contaminated cooling-water in a factory machine.

Symptoms and signs typical of extrinsic allergic alveolitis occurred in 24 workers in a stationery factory. The illness was caused by inhalation of a water aerosol contaminated by microorganisms, and although no specific organism has been incriminated, affected workers had serum precipitins to the contaminated water, and the illness could be reproduced by inhalation challenge tests.

Hyposensitisation with house dust mite vaccine in bronchial asthma.

In a double-blind placebo-controlled trial of tyrosine-absorbed Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus vaccine no improvement was seen in 45 patients with asthma sensitive to house dust mite. In particular there was no significant improvement in symptom scores, spirometry, and skin and nasal challenge test results. Some patients in other studies have benefited from doses of vaccine much stronger than those now commercially available, but the incidence of side effects has also been high.

Effect of lung resection for bronchial carcinoma on pulmonary function in patients with and without chronic obstructive bronchitis.

Pulmonary function was measured before and after lung resection (pneumonectomy or lobectomy) in 58 patients with bronchial carcinoma, 33 of whom also had chronic obstructive bronchitis. Lung resection was well tolerated and caused no greater impairment of lung function postoperatively in the bronchitics than in those without bronchitis.

Comparison of the effects of acebutolol (Sectral) and practolol (Eraldin) on airways obstruction in asthmatics.

The effects of oral practolol (Eraldin, I.C.I. Ltd) (300 mg) and acebutolol (Sectral, May & Baker Ltd) (300 mg) were compared in a placebo-controlled, crossover study in ten asthmatics. 2. Pulse rate, forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and specific airways conductance were measured before and after a bronchodilator and the same procedure was repeated after taking acebutolol, practolol or placebo. 3. A mean increase in resting airways obstruction and reduction in bronchodilator response were evident with both drugs. The differences were statistically significant only after acebutolol for the logarithm of specific conductance. Mean plasma levels of the two drugs were similar. The response to both drugs was similar in the same patient and unrelated to severity of asthma. Mean reduction in resting pulse rate was statisitcally greater after acebutolol compared with placebo but not after practolol compared with placebo. 4. In any individual the beta-adrenoceptor blocking response is unpredictable and any beta-adrenoceptor blocking drug must be used with extreme caution in asthmatics.