Steroid-sparing effect of ketotifen in steroid-dependent asthmatics: a long period evaluation in 12 patients.

An open pilot study was carried out over a period of more than 2 years to assess the steroid-sparing effect of ketotifen (1 mg twice daily) in 12 steroid-dependent asthmatic patients. Daily steroid consumption (prednisolone equivalent) was calculated for the year before and for 1 and 2 years of ketotifen treatment from the total of all doses given throughout the year. Results showed that in 6 of the 12 patients who responded with reduced steroid consumption the mean daily dose decreased from 5.7 mg to 4.1 mg/day (p less than 0.05) in the first year of ketotifen: the final mean reduction rate at the end of the 2-year trail was 83.6% (p less than 0.005). Furthermore, the mean daily consumption of beta 2-stimulants (salbutamol equivalent) decreased from 8.7 to 6.2 mg/day (p less than 0.025) in the responders. In the 6 non-responders, there was a slight increase in mean daily steroid consumption from 2.4 mg to 3.0 mg/day. The most frequently reported side-effect of ketotifen was dizziness, which occurred in one-third of the patients; all patients, however, were able to continue with treatment.