EFFECT OF 8 WEEKS OF TREATMENT WITH SALMETEROL ON BRONCHOALVEOLAR LAVAGE INFLAMMATORY INDEXES IN ASTHMATICS

Using BAL, we studied the effects of 8 wk of treatment with salmeterol on airway inflammation in nine asthmatic subjects in a double-blind c rossover placebo-controlled protocol. The study patients were ail rece iving regular inhaled corticosteroid therapy (400 to 1,000 mu g beclom ethasone dipropionate per day) and inhaled albuterol for symptomatic r elief, i.e., subjects who might be considered suitable for treatment w ith salmeterol. The asthmatic group had significant differences in num bers of epithelial cells and eosinophils in BAL compared with a group of 15 normal control subjects (p < 0.01). During Salmeterol treatment mean morning and evening peak flow rates were increased (p < 0.05). Th ere was no significant change in BAL cell profile and no change in per centages of CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes or proportion of lymphocytes expre ssing HLA-DR after salmeterol. In conclusion, we were unable to demons trate any significant antiinflammatory effect of regular salmeterol th erapy on airway inflammation using BAL in these asthmatic patients. At the same time, there was equally no evidence of a deterioration in th e underlying inflammatory disease process.