methylatropine and Bronchitis

Topics: Adrenergic beta-Agonists; Asthma; Atropine; Atropine Derivatives; Bronchi; Bronchial Provocation Tests; Bronchitis; Drug Combinations; Humans; Ipratropium; Mucus; Parasympatholytics; Respiratory System

The therapeutic value of 80 micrograms atropine methonitrate delivered per metered aerosol and its combination with 450 micrograms reproterol was investigated in a controlled double-blind cross-over trial in 17 patients with chronic bronchitis and airway obstruction. All patients were atropine responders. According to the parameters of FEV1 and SGaw atropine methonitrate induced a statistically definite and clinically relevant bronchodilation for more than 3 h compared with placebo. The combination of 80 micrograms atropine methonitrate and 450 micrograms reproterol, however, proved to be clearly superior compared with the mono-compound atropine methonitrate.

Topics: Aerosols; Atropine Derivatives; Bronchitis; Bronchodilator Agents; Clinical Trials as Topic; Double-Blind Method; Drug Combinations; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Humans; Lung Diseases, Obstructive; Male; Metaproterenol; Middle Aged; Theophylline; Time Factors

In order to delineate the clinical profiles which correspond to different patterns of responsiveness to inhaled anticholinergic drugs (i.e. atropine methonitrate, ipratropium bromide), 102 subjects tested with these drugs and with beta 2-adrenergic bronchodilators were classified into three groups, namely: a group with positive skin prick tests (group 1), a group with blood or sputum eosinophilia but negative skin prick tests (group 2), and a group with negative skin prick tests and neither blood nor sputum eosinophilia (group 3). All had reversible airflow obstruction and their clinical profiles closely corresponded to atopic asthma, non-atopic asthma and chronic bronchitis, respectively, but the prevalence of mucus hypersecretion was similar in all three groups. Pharmacologically, group 1 patients were distinguished from the other two groups by their significant impairment of 1-second forced expiratory volume response to the bronchodilator action of anticholinergic drugs. This is the physiological correlate of atopic asthma.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Airway Resistance; Albuterol; Asthma; Atropine Derivatives; Bronchitis; Female; Forced Expiratory Volume; Humans; Ipratropium; Isoproterenol; Lung Diseases, Obstructive; Male; Middle Aged; Parasympatholytics; Respiratory Hypersensitivity