Treatment of asthma with triamcinolone acetonide delivered by aerosol.

Twenty-one patients with steroid-dependent asthma were treated by inhalation of .8 mg per day of triamcinolone acetonide. Nineteen patients reported substantial symptomatic improvement despite reduction of the dose of oral steroids, and in 16, oral steroids were discontinued entirely. Twelve of the patients measured peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) 4 times per day before and during therapy, and the average of each of the 4 measurements was higher during the first 1 to 2 weeks of treatment than during a similar period of placebo administration. Double-blind crossover trial was performed in 12 patients, 8 of whom were taking a constant dose of prednisone throughout the study. Eleven patients reported symptomatic improvement while receiving active drug, and in 9, PEFR was significantly higher. For the group as a whole, PEFR was higher while receiving drug than while receiving placebo (P < 0.001). Thirty-four patients have been treated with triamcinolone acetonide for from 3 to 12 months. Of 32 patients who h...