N. Wilson et al., EFFECT OF CONTINUOUS TREATMENT WITH TOPICAL CORTICOSTEROID ON EPISODIC VIRAL WHEEZE IN PRESCHOOL-CHILDREN, Archives of Disease in Childhood, 72(4), 1995, pp. 317-320
Acute episodic wheeze related to viral infections is a common and dist
ressing condition and treatment remains unsatisfactory. Although some
benefit from the continuous use of inhaled steroids has been demonstra
ted in young wheezy children, their effect primarily on acute episodes
has not been considered. In this study the effect of budesonide (400
mu g/day) was assessed in a four month double blind parallel trial, in
41 children (0.7-6.0 years) with predominantly episodic viral wheeze.
Analysis of the last three months showed no difference between budeso
nide or placebo in mean daily total symptom score (median values 0.6 a
nd 0.63), episode number (mean values 2.6 and 2.4), or score/episode (
mean value 30 and 31). Four months of treatment with inhaled budesonid
e had no effect on acute episodes of wheeze in this group of children.