Comparison of mortality rates in elderly hypertensive and normotensive hemiplegic patients.

This investigation has shown that in suitably selected cases regimens of intermittent treatment with prednisolone are as effective in controlling the symptoms of chronic asthma as continuous (daily) treatment.

Abstract

Chronic Asthma-Walsh and Grant BDI& ¶'jSRNAL mittent treatment than with continuous (daily) treatment given in a comparable mean annual dose.The incidence of suspected and proved peptic ulceration was approximately the same in the two treatment groups.Sixteen patients (6%) died, seven from status asthmaticus and nine from other causes.The deaths from status asthmaticus were probably due to failure to increase the dose of corticosteroid when acute symptoms super- vened.The death rate was no higher in patients on intermittent treatment regimens than in those given corticosteroids every day.The results in 28 children were similar to those obtained in the 245 adults, but the children required a proportionately higher dose of corticosteroid, and were in consequence more liable to develop the stigmata of hypercorticism.More serious side-effects were uncommon, and no deaths were recorded.Intermittent treatment was effective less often in children than in adults, but complete withdrawal of corticosteroids was achieved more often in children (18%) than in adults (5%).Although growth had already been retarded in many children with severe chronic asthma before corticosteroids were given, it is possible that the administration of these agents was respon- sible for further retardation of growth in a few cases.This investigation has shown that in suitably selected cases regimens of intermittent treatment with prednisolone are as effective in controlling the symptoms of chronic asthma as continuous (daily) treatment.There are some indications that side-effects are less likely to be produced by intermittent than by continuous administration of prednisolone, but further studies will be required to confirm this tentative conclusion.