Asthma Drugs Not as Effective in Smokers

Steroid based pills, commonly used in the treatment of asthmatics, are not as effective if the patient is a smoker, studies suggest.

Steroid based pills, commonly used in the treatment of asthmatics, are not as effective if the patient is a smoker, studies suggest.In the current study, Dr. Neil C. Thomson and colleagues, from the University of Glasgow in the UK, examined the effect of smoking on the response to steroid pills in 50 patients with chronic asthma. Fourteen smokers, 10 ex-smokers, and 26 never-smokers were treated with a steroid pill called prednisolone or with inactive “placebo” for 2 weeks. The findings are reported in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine In never-smokers, treatment with prednisolone produced an improvement in all measures of lung function compared with placebo. In contrast, prednisolone produced more limited benefits in ex-smokers and virtually no benefits in current smokers. The findings suggest “that alternative (asthma drugs) may be required for patients who are current or ex-smokers, the authors conclude. “Furthermore, our study serves to emphasize the importance of smoking cessation in asthma.” (Source: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Reuters Health, MEDLINE Plus, Dec 2003.)