Treatment of Bronchial Asthma With Cromolyn

Cromolyn sodium (Intal [Britain]) is a new drug which is neither a bronchodilator nor a corticosteroid, but which possesses antiallergic properties which might make it useful for treatment of bronchial asthma. A number of reports in the British literature have indicated a favorable effect of this drug, but in many of the studies it was possible for the patient to have distinguished between drug and placebo. The present report summarizes the results of a randomized, doubleblind crossover trial of cromolyn in 17 patients with bronchial asthma in which it was impossible for the patients to know which of the two compounds was drug and which was placebo. For each patient, the physician judged whether or not either of the unknown compounds was of clinical value. This judgment was largely based on the patient's subjective response. The excess of preferences for active compound indicate a 95% probability that the drug was more effective than the placebo. Objective evidence of efficacy (ventilatory function) was not impressive, but it is concluded that this new drug has a beneficial effect on patients with bronchial asthma.