Multicentre, short-term therapeutic trial of disodium cromoglycate, with and without prednisone, in adults with asthma.

A total of 117 asthmatic patients were studied in a double-blind, cross-over trial with half-periods of three weeks in which disodium cromoglycate (D.S.C.G.) was compared with an inactive preparation. D.S.C.G. improved spirometric measurements, at a very high level of statistical significance, more than did placebo. The mean advantage of D.S.C.G. was less than 10% after three weeks. Symptomatic improvement by D.S.C.G. was small though significant; it was not correlated with spirometric improvement. A history of chronic cough was the only clinical characteristic associated with a better-than-average spirometric response to D.S.C.G.