A controlled trial of prednisone, in low dosage, in patients with chronic airways obstruction

Abstract

Ten men with chronic airways obstruction took part in a double blind controlled crossover trial of 5 mg prednisone, daily for a week, versus placebo. All patients had breathlessness as their main complaint, and chronic cough with sputum for 2 to 30 yr; five had evidence of emphysema on the chest radiograph. None had a personal or family history of asthma. For the group, mean forced expiratory volume in one second was 1.11 litres, and mean forced vital capacity was 2.28 litres. Six patients had abnormally high levels of arterial PCO2 (46-52 mm Hg). When the placebo and prednisone measurements were compared there was no significant change in forced expiratory volumes, bronchodilator effect on forced expiratory volumes, or blood gas tensions. Inspiratory airways resistance measured by body plethysmography was significantly higher (worse) on prednisone (mean 4.2 cm H2O per l/sec) than on placebo (mean 3.2).