Abstract
Oral challenge tests with acetylsalicylic acid, tartrazine or benzoic acid were performed in 7 intolerant asthmatic patients after a 3-day treatment with either orally taken ketotifen (1 mg twice daily) or inhaled disodium cromoglycate (20 mg four times daily) at random. Protection was noted with ketotifen in 5, with DSCG in 3 patients. On the evaluation of the mean percentage of the maximum decline in the forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1 only ketotifen afforded significant protection statistically (p < 0.05). All the intolerant asthmatics studies showed, as an immunological abnormity, a slight, but significant decrease of the Q-inhibitor levels. Moreover, in three out of these the α1-antitrypsin serum values were under the lower normal range.