Effect of long-term ionized air treatment on patients with bronchial asthma

Seven patients with bronchial asthma requiring continuous medication were subjected to eight weeks of nocturnal exposure to negatively ionized air, and their progress was followed using objective tests of lung function and clinical assessment. During exposure, four patients showed significant increases in morning PEFR, which in two of these patients was not sustained when exposure ceased. In two patients the observed increase in PEFR was accompanied by subjective improvement. From the results of all our assessments we conclude that, although this treatment may lead to an improvement in some patients with asthma, further objective studies are required to determine the value of negatively ionized air in the routine management of asthma.