Preventive effect and duration of action of disodium cromoglycate and procaterol on exercise-induced asthma in asthmatic children.

We evaluated the preventive effect and duration of action of disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) and procaterol nebulizer solutions on exercise-induced asthma (EIA) in 14 asthmatic patients. Disodium cromoglycate solution prevented EIA one hour after inhalation in 11 out of 14 (78.6%), and in some patients after four (36.5%) and eight hours (15.4%). The preventive effect and duration of action of DSCG depended on the severity of EIA in each subject. Procaterol solution had a greater effect than DSCG at any time point in the study. With both drugs, however, the effect decreased four and eight hours after inhaling and was related to the severity of the EIA.