The Clinical Effect of Ketotifen in Bronchial Asthma

A therapeutic trial using ketotifen, a prophylactic agent for the long-term treatment ofbronchial asthma, was undertaken. Twenty-nine patients with a mean age of33 years and suffering from bronchialasthmafor six months to 20 years (mean 8·6 years) were treated for three months. Ketotifen demonstrated good results in alleviating the impactof the disease on the asthmatic patient. The loweringof the frequency ofasthmatic attacks, their duration and the degreeofdyspnoea was accompanied by a normalizationof lung function parameters. An analysisoffurther respiratory investigations showed that the best results are to be obtained in the uncomplicated asthmatic. The need for the prophylactic treatmentofasthma with an agent such as ketotifen is stressed, as only in this way can irreversible changes be prevented.