The effect of treatment with oral corticosteroids on asthma symptoms and airway inflammation

摘要

To improve undestanding of the mechanisms of action of oral corticosterodis in asthma, we have con- ducted a duble-blind, placebo-controlled study with prednisolone (20 mg for 2 wk followed by 10 mg for 4 wk) or placebo in 14 and 13 atopic corticosteroid-naive asthmatic subjects, respectively. Be- fore and after treatment subjects underwent bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and bronchial biopsy. Treatment with prednisolone, but not placebo, significantly reduced asthma symp- toms (from mean ± SEM total weekly score of 34 ±6.2 to 15.7 ± 3.2, p = 0.02) and albuterol usage (from mean ± SEM number of puffs/wk of 29.7 ± 6.2 to 18.2±3.7, p=0.01) and sigificantly increased FEV_1 (from 89.8±4.4/100 to 99.3±4.1/100 of predicted, p=0.03).±