Treatment of 36 patients of corticosteroid-dependent type of aspirin-induced asthma with Glucosidorum Tripterygii Totorum

Abstract

This paper reports that Glucosidorum Tripterygii Totorum(GTT), 20 mg, three times daily was used as a substitute for cortical hormone to treat corticosteroid-dependent type of aspirin-induced asthma. The results showed that the total effective rate was 100%, with 31 cases of marked effectiveness (86.11%) and 5 cases of effectiveness (13. 89%). Plasma cortisol was significantly elevated to normal level after treatment (P<0.001). Cushing’s syndrome disappeared gradually. The blood glucose in the 9 patients who were complicated with diabetes mellitus returned to normal and their glucosuria test became negative. The value of peak expiratory flow (PEF) increased to different degrees(P<0.01 for male, P<0.05 for female). The increment of PEF in the patients complicated with emphysema was not so much as in those patients not complicated with emphysema, but compared with premedication value, the elevation of PEF was significant (P<0. 05). There were no side-effects during treatment and the side-effects of cortical hormone could be avoided. Thus, the treatment proved valuable.