Efficacy of cromoglycate in persistently wheezing infants.

A prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of (sodium) cromoglycate in the treatment of persistent wheezing in 31 children between 4 and 12 months of age. The subjects were randomised to receive either 40 mg of cromoglycate (n = 16) or physiological saline as placebo (n = 15) three times a day by wet nebulisation in a double blind fashion for a period of six weeks. The patients were evaluated with daily symptom scores and respiratory function testing measuring maximal expiratory flow at functional residual capacity (VmaxFRC) before initiating treatment and upon completion. At baseline, mean (SD) symptom scores between the two groups were comparable (cromoglycate 99.5 (29.8), placebo 104.5 (29.7)) as were VmaxFRC expressed as per cent of predicted normals (cromoglycate 48 (28), placebo 46 (20)). Upon completion of the treatment protocol, no significant difference could be found between the two groups for either symptom score (cromoglycate 67.6 (40.2), placebo 58.6 (41.4)), or VmaxFRC (cromoglycate 52 (24), placebo 60 (32)). It is concluded, therefore, that 40 mg of cromoglycate three times a day administered via facemask and wet nebulisation was no more effective than placebo in the treatment of our sample of persistently wheezing infants under 1 year of age.