[A new spacer, Babyhaler, for BDP inhalation therapy in severe infantile asthma].

Recently, it has been recognized that airway inflammation is the most important pathogenesis of bronchial asthma, and inhaled corticosteroids therapy is effective for childhood asthma. However, using metered dose inhalers (MDI) of beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) is difficult for infants. In this study, we administered BDP inhalation therapy with a new spacer, Babyhaler, for five cases of early childhood with severe infantile asthma that we could not control even by combination of theophylline round the clock (RTC) therapy and disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) + beta 2 stimulant (beta 2) regular use. We compared symptom score of asthma attack between the pre-treatment period (prior 2 weeks) and post-treatment period (following 8 weeks) of BDP inhalation therapy with Babyhaler. As a result, symptom score decreased significantly within 4 weeks after treatment of BDP with Babyhaler as compared with the score before treatment of BDP. These findings suggest that Babyhaler is useful for BDP inhalation therapy in infantile asthma.