[Efficacy and safety of high doses of beclomethasone dipropionate in patients with bronchial asthma]. / Effektivnost' i bezopasnost' vysokikh doz beklometazona dipropionata u bol'nykh bronkhial'noi astmoi.

AIM: To assess efficiency and safety of high-dose beklometasone dipropionate in patients with bronchial asthma (BA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The trial included 14 female and 3 male patients with moderate or severe BA (mean age 43.6 years) in declining exacerbation. The patients inhaled beklometasone dipropionate as a dose-adjusted aerosol with built-up spacer (beklojet) in a daily dose 1000-2000 mcg for 8 weeks. Changes in clinical symptoms, life quality (AQLQ) and bronchial permeability (peak flowmetry, FEV1) were registered. Concentration of H2O2 in expired air condensate was measured spectrophotometrically to evaluate activity of airway inflammation. Oral smears were studied mycologically, hydrocortisone in blood plasma was measured with enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: The treatment produced positive trend in clinical symptoms and quality of life. Bronchial permeability improved since the 7th treatment day. H2O2 significantly fell, hydrocortisone levels and fungal flora did not change significantly. CONCLUSION: Beklometasone dipropionate in high doses for 8 weeks is effective and safe against BA.

[Quality of life and characteristics of the external respiration function in patients with bronchial asthma]. / Kachestvo zhizni i pokazateli funktsii vneshnego dykhaniia u bol'nykh s bronkhial'noi astmoi.

AIM: To investigate correlations between quality of life, bronchial obstruction, nonspecific bronchial hyperreactivity (NSBH) and response of these parameters to treatment with inhalation steroids in patients with bronchial asthma (BA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 67 BA patients (47 women and 20 men) aged 18 to 62 years (mean age 43 years). 59 of them had the diagnosis of atopic BA, 8 had bacterial BA. Quality of life was assessed with the questionnaire AQLQ, bronchial obstruction was judged by forced expiratory volume per a second (FEV1). Bronchial hyperreactivity was studied with acetylcholine and histamine tests. RESULTS: Quality of life strongly correlated with FEV1 and NSBH. Positive changes in the latter due to treatment with inhalation glucocorticoid budesonide (400 mcg/day) entailed improvement of life quality. CONCLUSION: Bronchial obstruction and NSBH have a significant effect on BA patients' life quality which should be considered in monitoring of BA patients' condition.

[Hydrogen peroxide--a marker for respiratory tract inflammation in patients with bronchial asthma]. / Perekis' vodoroda kak marker vospaleniia dykhatel'nykh putei u bol'nykh bronkhial'noi astmoi.

AIM: To test H2O2 as a marker of respiratory tract inflammation in patients with bronchial asthma (BA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study entered 70 patients (20 males and 50 females) with atopic asthma (AA) aged 18 to 62 years (mean age 32.6 years). H2O2 concentration in the expired air (CEA) was determined spectrophotometrically (Gallati & Pracht, 1985), content of eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) in blood--with radioimmunoassay kits (Pharmacia & Upjohn, Sweden). Forced expiratory volume per 1 second (FEV1) was used for assessment of severity of bronchial obstruction. Bronchial hyperreactivity was studied by means of the histamine bronchoprovocative test. RESULTS: H2O2 in CEA in BA patients was higher than in healthy subjects (0.127 +/- 0.010 microm/l vs 0.024 +/- 0.004 microm/l). H2O2 concentration significantly correlates with FEV1 (r = -0.449; p < 0.001), bronchial hyperreactivity to histamine (rs = -0.382; p < 0.05) and ECP in blood plasma(r = 0.625; p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: It was proved possible to use H2O2 in CEA for evaluation of respiratory inflammation in BA patients.