Comparison between sodium cromoglycate (MDI: metered-dose inhaler) and beclomethasone dipropionate (MDI) in treatment of adult patients with mild to moderate bronchial asthma. A double-blind, double-dummy randomized, parallel-group study.

This study compared the efficacy and tolerability of sodium cromoglycate (SC) and beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) in adult patients with bronchial asthma inadequately treated with bronchodilators alone. The study was a double-blind, randomized, double-dummy, parallel-group study. Patients with mild to moderate symptomatic asthma, inadequately treated with bronchodilators only, were, after a 2-week run-in (base-line) period, randomized to 8 weeks of treatment with either SC 10 mg four times daily or BDP 100 micrograms four times daily. Salbutamol metered-dose inhaler was given as relief medication. A total of 37 patients were randomized for treatment, 19 patients in the SC group and 18 patients in the BD group. Efficacy and safety were determined by daily record card data: morning and evening peak-expiratory-flow rates (PEFR), daytime and nighttime asthma symptom scores, and rescue salbutamol use. At clinic visits, FEV1 and FVC were measured, as were the physician's and the patient's assessment of the medication at the end of the study. The safety and tolerability of the trial medication were assessed by monitoring adverse events throughout the study. A clinically and statistically significant improvement of the asthma in FEV1, symptom scores, rescue medication, and global opinion of efficacy was observed, and both groups provided equivalent efficacy. The morning PEFR as well as the evening PEFR for both groups improved, but was statistically significant only for the BDP group (M-PEFR). Both drugs were well tolerated with only a few minor adverse events. This trial shows that SC and BDP are equally effective anti-inflammatory treatments for mild to moderate bronchial asthma in adults.