Beta-adrenoceptor stimulants exhibit both bronchodilating and anti-allergic activities. KWD 2131 is a new beta-agonist with preferably anti allergic property. In an earlier study, nebulized KWD 2131 in a non-bronchodilating dose (0.25--0.50 mg) did not give significant protection against immediate reaction. The present study evaluated whether an increased nebulized dose of the new compound (5 mg) could protect against either immediate and/or late responses. The response was compared with a nebulized dose of terbutaline (5 mg) and with twice the recommended dose DSCG (40 mg). The study included 10 patients with known allergic asthma. It was designed as a single-blind cross-over trial with randomized allocation of the drugs. Lung functions were measured spirometrically and by body-plethysmograph; flow volume curves were drawn. KWD 2131 gave no significant protection against immediate reaction. Both terbutaline and DSCG did so, terbutaline being more efficient. Contrary to the beta-agonists, DSCG also gave protection against late response.

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The acceleration of blood coagulation in vivo by adrenaline was first demonstrated by Vosburgh and Richards in 1903. They showed in man that adrenaline in doses of 7 μg. per kg. body weight shortened the coagulation time by about 50 per cent. Subsequent studies led to conflicting conclusions until the experiments of Cannon and Gray in 1914, who showed that small doses of adrenaline promoted coagulation, but that larger doses inhibited it. This was confirmed by later investigators (Waldron, 1951; Forwell and Ingram, 1957) but, so far as we know, the effect in normal animals of adrenaline on thrombus formation, as distinct from coagulation, has not been explored. More recently, evidence has been presented that adrenaline increases Factor‐VIII activity (Ingram, 1961), shortens platelet survival and increases platelet turnover (Adelson, Rheingold, Parker, Buenaventura and Crosby, 1961; Özge and Mustard, 1964). Recently, Mitchell and Sharp (1964) and O'Brien (1963) have shown that adrenaline promotes platelet aggregation in vitro. In the present study we have directed our attention to the effect of this drug on blood coagulation, platelets and thrombus formation. Quantitative study of thrombus formation has been made possible by the development of a standard extracorporeal circulation which allows precise measurement (Downie, Murphy, Rowsell and Mustard, 1963). In view of the findings of earlier investigators studying coagulation, it seemed important to determine how dosage levels affect the results.