%0 Journal Article %A R. Petersen %A L. Agertoft %A S. Pedersen %T Treatment of exercise-induced asthma with beclomethasone dipropionate in children with asthma %D 2004 %R 10.1183/09031936.04.00141303 %J European Respiratory Journal %P 932-937 %V 24 %N 6 %X A new hydrofluoroalkane-beclomethasone dipropionate (HFA-BDP) aerosol markedly increases drug delivery to the airways. Therefore, even low doses of HFA-BDP should be effective, and the present study assesses this. A randomised, double-blind, crossover study was used to compare the effect of placebo, HFA-BDP 50 µg or 100 µg given q.d. (QVARTM AutohalerTM; 3M Pharmaceuticals, St. Paul, MN, USA) on exercise-induced bronchoconstriction and exhaled nitric oxide (eNO). After a 14-day run-in, 25 children (5–14 yrs old) entered three 4-week treatment periods, separated by a 1-week washout. After each period, the fall in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), after an exercise test, and eNO were measured. Significant treatment effects with no carry-over or period effects were seen for both eNO and maximum fall in FEV1 after exercise. Differences were seen between placebo (fall in FEV1=27.9%; eNO=14.4 parts per billion (ppb)) and either dose of HFA-BDP, but not between the two active doses (50 µg: fall in FEV1=20.8%, eNO=9.3 ppb; 100 µg: fall in FEV1=20.9%, eNO=8.9 ppb). In conclusion, low q.d. doses of hydrofluoroalkane-beclomethasone dipropionate reduced exhaled nitric oxide and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. Further studies are needed to assess whether q.d. administration of beclomethasone dipropionate is as effective as b.i.d. administration. This study was supported by 3M Pharmaceuticals, St. Paul, MN, USA. %U https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/erj/24/6/932.full.pdf