[Effect of hydrocortisone injections on bronchial obstruction in asthma (author's transl)]

In 14 asthmatic subjects with bronchial obstruction reversible by beta-sympathomimetic drug inhalation (salbutamol), the effect of intravenous injections of placebo and of 2, 4 and 8 mg/kg of hemisuccinate hydrocortisone (HSHC) has been measured by determining the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) every two hours for eight hours. In four patients, FEV1 was not significantly altered by HSHC injection. It was improved in the ten other patients. The latency period lasted at least four hours and the peak action was observed between the sixth and the eighth hour. These two factors were related to the HSHC dose. The improvement obtained with 8 mg/kg HSHC was similar to that of salbutamol. The effect of the latter was potentiated by 8 mg/kg HSHC. These results suggest that HSHC should not be used when a fast reaction is wanted, on the one hand, and that the efficacy of the product must be controlled by objective measurements, on the other hand since not every subject is responsive.