[Clinical experience with metered aerosol of beclometasone in patients with obstructive lung disease (author's transl)].

142 patients suffering from chronic obstructive lung disease were treated with 9-chloro-11beta,17,21-trihydroxy-16beta-methyl-pregna-4,4-diene-3,20-dione-17,21-dipropionate (beclometasone) metered aerosal. Between 3 subgroups: chronic infectious obstructive lung disease, allergic obstructive lung disease and chronic bronchitis without airway obstruction, there was no difference in the results. Three times per day three puffs of the metered aerosol can substitute about 6 mg prednisolone p.o. The systemic effects of the beclometasone therapy with metered aerosols are clearly less than those which are seen with a comparable oral dosage. Side effects are seen dose dependently as hoarseness and as relatively harmless Candida infection of the throat. For most of the patients with obstructive lung disease who are dependent on glucocorticosteroids beclometasone as metered aerosol should be given as basic therapy. In case higher dosages are necessary they should be given orally or parenterally.