Forty
patients with asthma were randomly assingned into
experimental or control group, each had 20 subjects. Salmeterol was
administered via a diskhaler with the dosage of 50 μg q.12 h in the former, and Procaterol was taken 50 μg orally twice a day in the latter. The treatment went on at three stages:1 week for running in, 4 weeks for therapy and 2 weeks for following up. All patients were provided with dry powder of salbutamol when necessary throughout the study. We observed the changes of PEF,FEV 1 and FVC before and after treatment. The lung
function improved in
experimental group after 2 weeks of therapy. The morning PEF increased from 274.5 L/min to 309.25L/min (P<0.05) and FEV 1 from 1.75 L to 1.90 L. Lung function bettered significantly after 4 weeks of the process. Morning PEF increased up to 311.00L/min (P<0.01) and FEV 1 up to 2.16 L(P<0.01). The alteration of lung function in the control group was not so favorable. Salmeterol could markedly increase morning PEF and its bronchial dilatation effect could last at least for 12 hours. Therefore it was beneficial for preventing the attack of nocturnal asthma. The level of lung function in experimental group was above basic value even after two week cessation of therapy. The morning PEF reached 302 L/min (P< 0.05). This might be related to the potential antiinflammatory action of Salmeterol.