Usefulness of inhaled high-dose corticosteroids in allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis

Two patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis were seen on a regular basis, one since 1978 and the other since 1982. Throughout this period, both subjects required daily oral administration of corticosteroids (between 15 and 40 mg of prednisolone daily) to control their symptoms and the lung infiltrates on the chest x-ray film. Attempts to further decrease the dosage of steroids or to discontinue their use were met with immediate recurrences of manifestations of the disease. With the introduction of high-dose inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate, both subjects could be weaned from their oral steroids and maintained with inhaled steroids alone for up to 11 months. We conclude that inhaled corticosteroids may be useful in the treatment of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.