[Asthma and propranolol]

The authors report the results of a study of propranolol perfused intravenously at a dose of 1 mcg/kg/mn during 30 mn to 50 asthmatic patients. The VC decreased by 8.3 and by 10.9% in the middle and at the end of the perfusion. The FEV1 decreased by 18.3 and 23% concomitantly. Classifying patients in 4 groups according to the clinical severeness of the asthma showed that the response to propranolol increased with that severenesse. Exploration of obstructive bronchopneumopathies by propranolol provided valuable data or the differential diagnosis of asthma and chronic bronchitis.