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(Chest. 1994;106:1396-1400.)
© 1994 American College of Chest Physicians

Inhaled Furosemide Is Not Effective in Acute Asthma

Jill P. Karpel M.D., F.C.C.P.1; Felicia Dworkin M.D.1; Dana Hager M.D.1; Sharon Feliciano M.D.2; Deborah Shapiro M.D.2; Laurie Posner M.D.2; and Denise Luks Pharm. D.2

1 From the Albert Einstein College of Medicine; and Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY.
2 From the Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY.

As previous studies have suggested that inhaled furosemide may have a protective effect against certain types of provocative challenges in asthmatic subjects, we investigated the role of furosemide in treating acute asthma exacerbations. Twenty-four patients (n=24) with acute asthma were entered into the study on presenting to the emergency department. They were blindly randomized to receive one of three drug regimens: (1) inhaled furosemide (40 mg) (n=8); (2) inhaled metaproterenol (15 mg) (n=7); or (3) the combination of furosemide (40 mg) and metaproterenol (15 mg) (n=9). We measured FEV1 at entry (time 0) and 15, 30, 45, and 60 min after inhalation of the individual drugs or the combination from a face mask nebulizer. At entry, the three groups did not differ significantly in age (mean± SEM= 37.6±3.6, 38.5±3.6, and 41.0 years, respectively; p=0.770), baseline FEV1 (1.01±0.27, 1.04±0.27, and 1.25±0.14 L, respectively; p=0.620), or theophylline levels (2.87±1.8, 7.39±2.8, and 5.29±2.6, µg/ml, respectively; p=0.498). Pretreatment and posttreatment potassium levels were similar among the three groups. Inhalation of furosemide alone resulted in a 14.9±10.5 percent change in FEV1 percent from baseline, which was not statistically significant. In contrast, metaproterenol alone resulted in a 42.9±15.2 percent increase in FEV1 percent (F ratio= 6.226; p=0.0028). The combination of furosemide and metaproterenol resulted in a change in FEV1 percent that was not statistically different compared with metaproterenol alone (FEV1 percent= 41.9±12 percent). No significant adverse effects occurred in any of the groups.

Key Words: asthma • bronchodilator • furosemide • metaproterenol

Submitted on October 21, 1993
Accepted on February 25, 1994




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Home page
 Emerg. Med. J.Home page
Z.-S. Yen and S.-C. Chen
Nebulised furosemide in acute adult asthma
Emerg. Med. J., September 1, 2005; 22(9): 654 - 655.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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