Usefulness of inhaled furosemide in a bronchial asthma attack.

Furosemide administered through repeated dose inhalation has antiinflammatory effects on the airways. We carried out a study to measure the adjuvant effect of this drug with salbutamol inhalation in asthmatic patients presenting an acute or chronic asthma attack. We studied 50 patients, 25 of whom were given salbutamol (0.5%-1 cc) every 12 h and placebo every 12 h. All patients underwent spirometry on the first day and at the end of the treatment (5 days). Peak flow was recorded twice a day as well as daily diuresis and body weight. Peak flow in the morning increased 13.8 l/min in the group given salbutamol and placebo; in group given furosemide, the increase was 2.2 l/min, with statistically significant differences. Peak flow in the evening showed no sizeable differences. The same was true with spirometric variables (FVC, FEV1 and FEF 25-75), which improved greatly in both groups, but without a considerable difference. Diuresis increased in the group given furosemide (510.80 ml; in the group given placebo the increase was 310.20) without a significant difference. Analysis of body weight showed that in the group given furosemide average weight decreased from 140.4 to 138.5 lbs (52.4 to 51.7 kg); in the group given placebo, it increased from 130.3 to 132.6 lbs (48.6 to 49.5 kg). Statistical analysis was significant. We concluded that administering furosemide by inhalation for 5 days as adjuvant treatment to salbutamol in patients presenting with acute or chronic asthma attack is not superior to treatment using salbutamol and placebo.

[Primary tracheobronchial amyloidosis. Report of a case]. / Amiloidosis traqueobronquial primaria. Reporte de un caso.

We present a patient with primary tracheobronquial amiloidosis diffuse, presenting with asthma-like dysnea. The diagnosis was made through the broncoscopy and biopsy of infiltrated bronchial mucosa.

Assessment of the bronchodilator effect of inhaled furosemide compared to salbutamol in asthmatic patients.

To compare the bronchodilator effects of high-dose inhaled furosemide, we studied 80 patients who were nonsmokers presenting some degree of bronchial obstruction. Of these patients, 40 were given salbutamol (1%) aerosol and the remaining 40 were given furosemide aerosol (100 mg). Respiratory functional tests were conducted at 10 min and 30 min, as well as measurement of pulse and blood pressure. Patients in the salbutamol group showed an improvement in forced expiratory volume (FEV1) of 7.9% at 10 min and 30 min, and the group given furosemide improved 6.9% (p > 0.05). Systolic blood pressure showed a slight increase of 2 mmHg in the salbutamol group and a decrease of 6 mmHg in the furosemide group (p < 0.05). The same occurred for diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.05). Pulse increased from 73.7 to 75.2 beats per min in the salbutamol group; however, in the furosemide group, pulse declined from 73.7 to 71.8 beats per min (p < 0.05). We conclude that furosemide at a dose of 100 mg has the same bronchodilator effect as salbutamol, as measured by FEV1 and forced expiratory flow of 25% to 75%. Furosemide was also related with a mild hypotensive effect and drop in pulse.