Beclomethasone dipropionate and sodium cromoglycate protect against airway hyperresponsiveness in a human ex vivo model of cow's milk aspiration.

Background: Recurrent cow's milk (CM) aspiration is often associated with gastroesophageal reflux in infants and toddlers and it seems to be implicated in the etiology of different inflammatory lung disorders. This study aimed to investigate ex vivo the impact of CM aspiration on human airways and whether treatment with beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) or sodium cromoglycate (SCG) may prevent the potential CM-induced airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR).

Methods: Human isolated bronchi were contracted by electrical field stimulation (EFS) to mimic the contractile tone induced by the parasympathetic activity and challenged with CM, fat/lactose-free CM, or human breast milk (HM).