Beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol in the treatment of chronic bronchial asthma.

In a double-blind, randomized study, 93 corticosteroid-independent patients with chronic bronchial asthma were treated with either beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol at 400 mug per day of its vehicle for 4 wk to determine and compare the effectiveness and safety of the preparations. Evaluations made before, at weekly intervals during, and 1 wk after treatment indicated that beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol was superior to its vehicle is improving FVC, FEV1, FEF25%--75%, and clinical signs and symptoms, and in the overall evaluations by both the investigators and the patients. Plasma cortisol levels measured at the end of the second and fourth weeks were not substantially different from those before treatment in either group. No significant side effects or abnormalities in laboratory results were noted.