Table 3

Direct and indirect challenge tests to monitor asthma during anti-inflammatory therapy

First author [ref. no.]	Year	Compound	Duration of treatment weeks	Dose	Challenge
					Direct		Indirect
					Type	Reactivity	Type	Reactivity
Wiebicke et al.	1990	Salbutamol+	3	0.2/0.5 mg q.i.d	Histamine	↓	SO₂	Ø
222		BDP			Methacholine	↓	Hypervent.	Ø
Vathenen et al.	1991	Budesonide	6	800 µg b.i.d.	Histamine	↓	Exercise	↓
223							Cold air hypervent.
Fuller et al.224	1991	Budesonide	3	1200 µg·day⁻¹	Histamine	↓	Bradykinin	↓
Groot et al. 225	1992	BDP	8	200 µg q.i.d	Histamine	↓	Dist. water	↓
O'Connor et al.	1992	Budesonide	2	0.8 mg b.i.d.	Methacholine	↓	Metabisulphite	↓
210							AMP	↓↓
Bootsma et al.	1995	Fluticasone	6	750 µg·day⁻¹	Histamine	↓	Dist. water	↓
226		BDP		1500 µg·day⁻¹	Histamine	↓	Dist. water	↓
Doull et al. 211	1997	BDP	12	400 µg·day⁻¹	Methacholine	Ø	Bradykinin	Ø
Du Toit et al. 160	1997	Budesonide	8	1000 µg·day⁻¹	Histamine	↓	Hypertonic saline	↓↓
Weersinck et al.	1997	Salmeterol	6	50 µg b.i.d.	Methacholine	↓	Adenosine	↓
227		Fluticasone		250 µg b.i.d.		↓		↓↓
		Salmeterol+Fluticasone		50+250 µg b.i.d.		↓		↓↓
Leff et al. 29	1998	Montelukast	12	10 mg·day⁻¹	Methacholine	Ø	Exercise	↓↓

BDP: beclomethasone dipropionate
Dist. water: distilled water
↓: modest reduction
↓↓: more pronounced reduction
Ø: no change