Inhaled ketotifen in exercise-induced asthma--a negative report

The effects of 2 concentrations of inhaled ketotifen (0.25 g/l and 0.5 g/l) were compared with saline in 7 extrinsic asthmatics with exercise induced asthma (EIA). Inhaled ketotifen produced bronchodilatation with a significant increase of 15.4% on mean baseline FEV1 at the higher concentration (p less than 0.05). After exercise the mean percentage fall in FEV1 was 38.4% in the saline group, with no significant difference in the ketotifen pretreated groups, although 2 patients did not have EIA after inhalation of either ketotifen concentrations.