We studied the effects of azelastine and disodium cromoglycate on bronchial responsiveness in 26 asthmatic children, using histamine inhalation challenge.
We divided the subjects into three groups. For 12 weeks, the 1st group of patients inhaled 20mg of disodium cromoglycate 4 times daily, the 2nd group took oral administrated 2mg of Azelastine twice daily and the 3rd group had no antiallergic drugs. Histamine inhalation challenges were performed before and at the end of treatment period. There was no statistical difference between the results obtained before and at the end of treatment in the group which didn't have antiallergic drugs. But the threshold of histamine had significantly increased after treatment of DSCG and Azelastine (p<0.05, p<0.01 respectively).
Our results suggested that not only the inhaled disodium cromoglycate but also the administration of azelastine had the effect of attenuating the bronchial hyperresponsiveness of asthmatic children.