[Lung functioning changes of asthmatic adults in treatment with cromolyn sodium and beclomethasone].

Background: In asthmatic patients, besides symptoms, international guidelines recommend the measure of lung functioning tests as a parameter leading to diagnostic classification and evaluation of the treatment's effect.

Objective: To determine the changes in the lung function of asthmatic adults in treatment with cromolyn sodium and beclomethasone.

Material And Methods: We made a clinical trial in adults with more than five years of persistent moderate asthma diagnosis. Before beginning the treatment there were carried out pulmonary function tests (PFR) with basal espirometry (prebeta2) and postbronchodilatador (posbeta2). To receive treatment, the patients were randomized in group A (beclomethasone), B (cromolyn sodium) and C (both medications). Treatment was completed by 6 months and at the end the spirometry was repeated. The results were analyzed with ANOVA, Student t and Mann-Whitney U tests according to the variables distribution.

Results: In each group 15 patients were included. The age, the asthma evolution time and the gender relationship were without differences. The results of the PFR are described as the average of the differences among the initial values and those obtained six months later: FEF25-75: prebeta2: group A: 15.4, B: 3.6 and C: 13.8 (ANOVA, p < 0.01); posbeta2: group A: 11, B: 4.5 and C: 17.5 (ANOVA, p < 0.5). FEF50: pre32: group A: 8.4, B: 2.3 and C: 14.7 (ANOVA, p <0.5); posbeta2: group A: 0.2, B: 3.1 and C: 15.7 (ANOVA, p < 0.01). FEF75: prebeta2: group A: 8.4, B: 4.7 and C: 13.6 (ANOVA, p < 0.5); posbeta2: group A: 4.2, B: 6.7 and C: 19.4 (ANOVA, p < 0.01). The differences between groups were: FEF25-75: prebeta2: A vs B, p = 0.08; B vs C, p = 0.1 and A vs C, p = 0.5; posbeta2: A vs B, p = 0.06; B vs C, p = 0.005 and A vs C, p =0.2. VF50: prebeta2: A vs B, p = 0.1; B vs C, p = 0.02 and A vs C, p = 0.1; posbeta2: A vs B, p = 0.4; B vs C, p = 0.001 and A vs C, p = 0.008. VF75: prebeta2: A vs B, p = 0.4; B vs C, p =0.03 and A vs C, p = 0.08; posbeta2: A vs B, p = 0.1; B vs C, p = 0.02 and A vs C, p =0.003.

Conclusions: In the asthmatic adult of long evolution, the inhaled treatment with cromolyn sodium improves the pulmonary function. That improvement is better with the use of beclomethasone, but the combined use improves even more the spirometry parameters.