[Acute bronchodilator effect of chinoxaline, prednisolone, ipratropium bromide and fenoterol tested by whole-body plethysmography (author's transl)].

The acute bronchodilator effect of chinoxaline, prednisolone and ipratropium bromide was tested by whole-body plethysmography in 18 patients with chronic obstructive airway disease over a period of 60 min. The subsequent administration of fenoterol by a metered dose inhaler demonstrated the possibility of further bronchodilation. Chinoxaline (80 mg i.v.) was followed by a statistically-significant decrease in airway resistance to 82.66% of the baseline value after 5 min. (maximum reduction) and to 87.11% after 60 min.; fenoterol (0.4 mg = 2 puffs) caused a further marked decrease to 49.61% after 20 min. Prednisolone (250 mg i.v.) did not produce statistically-significant acute bronchodilation. Airway resistance decreased to a minimum level of 89.16% after 20 min. and to 90.77% after 60 min.; however, following fenoterol (0.4 mg = 2 puffs) the airway resistance was reduced to 45.72%. Ipratropium bromide inhalation (0.08 mg = 4 puffs) resulted in the greatest bronchodilatory response, with a statistically-significant effect from the 5th to the 60th min. Airway resistance was 64.66% after 5 min., 63.22% after 10 min., 58.94% after 20 min., 57.72% after 30 min. and 51.22% after 60 min. (maximum reduction); fenoterol (0.4 mg = 2 puffs) caused only a slight further decrease to 48.32%.