Dynamics of airflow limitation in bronchial asthmatic patients after trental therapy

Abstract

Changes of static lung volumes and airflow limitations were studied in 49 bronchial asthmatic patients after a 100 mg intravenous trental infusion and two-week trental monotherapy (600 mg per os daily). Bronchial resistance after an acid test was reduced in 14 patients (frequency 0.28) — a broncholithic effect; and rose in another 15 (frequency 0.31) — a bronchospastic effect. The other twenty cases did not reveal shifts beyond the scope of reproducibility. These changes were unstable, and reduced bronchial resistance persisted with only 11 patients (frequency 0.23) 1.5 hours later. Irrespective of the nature of bronchial resistance changes, the clinical manifestations of the obstructive syndrome after an acid test did not offer any noticeable changes. Two-week trental monotherapy reduced airflow limitation in 17 patients, judging by bodyplethysmographic and spirometric tests, while 37 patients revealed a positive clinical effect, with obstructive syndrome symptoms reduced. As no interdependence was revealed between the dynamics of airflow limitations and the clinical signs of obstructive syndrome, we can ascribe the positive curative effect of trental on BA patients to its anti-inflammatory properties, rather than bronchoactive.