EFFECT OF ACUTE AND CHRONIC INHALED FUROSEMIDE ON BRONCHIAL HYPERRESPONSIVENESS IN MILD ASTHMA

We determined whether chronic administration of furosemide aerosol wou ld be beneficial for the treatment of asthma. First, we showed that fu rosemide aerosol delivered from a metered-dose inhaler (10 and 20 mg) significantly protected against sodium metabisulfite (MBS) challenge b y 0.6 and 1.3 doubling dilutions respectively in 12 volunteers with mi ld asthma. In a double-blind cross-over study, we examined the effect of furosemide aerosol from a twice more efficient metered-dose inhaler (10 mg four times per day) inhaled over 4 wk versus placebo in 12 oth er asthmatic subjects. There was no significant effect of furosemide o n bronchial responsiveness to methacholine or MBS. Treatment with furo semide over 1 mo did not improve bronchial hyperresponsiveness in subj ects with mild asthma.