effects of sodium cromoglycate on iranian asthmatic subjects without exposure to any bronchoconstrictor agent

cromolyn sodium, a mast cell stabilizing agent, provides an immediate protective effect against the exercise-induced bronchoconstriction while being used before the exercise. however, cromolyn is ineffective in reversing asthmatic bronchospasm; it is used as a maintenance therapy and has a prophylactic role in chronic asthma.    the purpose of this study was to determine the extent of change in baseline lung function tests following a single dose of cromolyn sodium in adult asthmatics.    forty volunteers (33 women and 7 men) with moderate to severe persistent asthma were randomly assigned to receive 20 mg cromolyn, 40 mg cromolyn or cromolyn-placebo. the percent of improvement in lung function parameters was compared among the groups, during 1 h of inhalation.    low dose of cromolyn induced more improvement in most lung function parameters such as forced expiratory flow volume in one second, forced vital capacity and peak expiratory flow compared with other groups. after 15 min, the improvement percentage of baseline forced expiratory flow volume in one second was 3.35 ± 1.5, for sodium cromoglycate-20 mg group compared with 0.98 ± 1.43 and - 0.68 ± 1.2 for sodium cromoglycate-placebo and sodium cromoglycate-40 mg, groups respectively. however, the differences between means were not significant. furthermore, based on the definition of american thoracic society (ats) for a ”significant post-bronchodilator response” developed in a few patients 15 min after the inhalation of 20 mg cromolyn sodium.    it is suggested that probably the inhalation of 20 mg of cromolyn sodium could immediately improve the lung function in few adults with asthma.