The most commonly adopted therapy for chronic asthma is actually repre¬sented by inhaled corticosteroids; these drugs act at several levels of the inflammatory process in the asthmatics' airways. The aim of our study, therefore, was that to evaluate the efficacy of short term (2 months) use of beclomethasone-dipropionate (1000 jig) taken on a daily basis in mild asthmatics. The evaluation was based upon several criteria: clinical, func¬tional, biological and morphological. We observed a clear improvement of the clinical pattern (cough, wheeze, dyspnoea), and a neat increase of the bronchial hyperresponsitivity thresh¬old (PD15/FEV 1=368.6 compared to 827.1 jig methacholine after therapy, p<0.05) was found. The antiinflammatory effect of the drug was confirmed by a lower cytokine- [IL-1|3 (p=0.02), IL-6 (p=0.03), IL-8 (p=0.003)] and chemical mediators [PAF (p=0.01), TXB2 (p=0.01), LTB4 (p=0007)] release in BAL, and by the evidence of a reduced activation of alveolar macrophages, as documented by flow-cytofluorimetry [HLA-DR (p=0.01), CD23 (p=0.02), CD44 (p=0.01), CD54 (p=0.05)]. Light microscopy evidenciated the histological improvement of basal mem¬brane thickening, as well as repair processes of the bronchial epithelium, and a marked decrease in mucus secretion, goblet cells and mucosecretory glands volume. We therefore can conclude that the use of inhaled beclomethasone- dipropionate is indicated for the therapy of mild asthma.
EVALUATION OF THE EFFICIENCY OF CORTICOSTEROID (BECLOMETIIASONE-DIPROPRIONATE) USE IN ATOPIC PATIENTS WITH MILD ASTHMA
MAZZARELLA, Gennaro;CALABRESE, Cecilia
1995
Abstract
The most commonly adopted therapy for chronic asthma is actually repre¬sented by inhaled corticosteroids; these drugs act at several levels of the inflammatory process in the asthmatics' airways. The aim of our study, therefore, was that to evaluate the efficacy of short term (2 months) use of beclomethasone-dipropionate (1000 jig) taken on a daily basis in mild asthmatics. The evaluation was based upon several criteria: clinical, func¬tional, biological and morphological. We observed a clear improvement of the clinical pattern (cough, wheeze, dyspnoea), and a neat increase of the bronchial hyperresponsitivity thresh¬old (PD15/FEV 1=368.6 compared to 827.1 jig methacholine after therapy, p<0.05) was found. The antiinflammatory effect of the drug was confirmed by a lower cytokine- [IL-1|3 (p=0.02), IL-6 (p=0.03), IL-8 (p=0.003)] and chemical mediators [PAF (p=0.01), TXB2 (p=0.01), LTB4 (p=0007)] release in BAL, and by the evidence of a reduced activation of alveolar macrophages, as documented by flow-cytofluorimetry [HLA-DR (p=0.01), CD23 (p=0.02), CD44 (p=0.01), CD54 (p=0.05)]. Light microscopy evidenciated the histological improvement of basal mem¬brane thickening, as well as repair processes of the bronchial epithelium, and a marked decrease in mucus secretion, goblet cells and mucosecretory glands volume. We therefore can conclude that the use of inhaled beclomethasone- dipropionate is indicated for the therapy of mild asthma.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
