Long-term beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol therapy in juvenile asthma. Following a short-term clinical trial reported elsewhere, beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol has been given to 15 children with asthma for between 21 and 3 years except for a short placebo period after the first year. Month-bymonth records of wheezing, peak flow rate, and other treatments used are presented for the first 17 months, adrenocortical function tests are reported for the first 2 years, and growth is recorded for 24-3 years. The short-term clinical benefits of the treatment are confirmed in the longer term, adrenocortical function appears to be unchanged, and growth proceeds along expected lines. The main disadvantage seems to be worsening of eczema and allergic rhinitis in those children who have ceased using corticotrophin or oral steroids for the control of asthma. It is concluded that in the long term beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol provides safe and effective day-today control of asthma in children, although occasional recourse to systemic steroid therapy cannot be avoided. Oral candidiasis has not been a clinical problem.

Summary In a double‐blind controlled crossover trial of inhaled disodium cromoglycate and beclomethasone dipropionate in juvenile asthma, beclomethasone produced higher therapeutic scores but significantly so in only two indices–wheeze‐free days and morning peak flow rates. Combined treatment offered no advantage over beclomethasone alone. No side‐effects were noted. The findings confirm other studies of cromoglycate and a steroid aerosol (betamethasone 17‐valerate) but disagree with the only other comparative trial of cromoglycate and beclomethasone, in which both were found equally effective.

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The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the opioid receptor subtype mediating opioid modulation of growth hormone (GH) secretion during ontogeny. The µ-agonist morphine and the Kagonist U50,488 caused a stimulation and inhibition of GH secretion, respectively, on postnatal day 10. Studies on postnatal days 2, 5, 10, 15 and 20 showed that ĸ-inhibition could be observed as early as day 2, but substantial µ-stimulation was not observed until postnatal day 10. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administration of the µ-selective peptide [D-Ala²-NMe-Phe⁴-Gly-ol]-enkephalin (DAMGO) elicited a marked rise in GH secretion, while administration of the δ-agonists [D-pen²D)-pen⁵]-enkephalin (DPDPE) or deltorphin II caused only a minor and non-dose-related rise in GH secretion in neonatal rats. The relative importance of µ- and δ-receptors in stimulating GH secretion was also studied in older pups (day 20). i.c.v. administration of DAMGO stimulated GH secretion, while neither DPDPE nor deltorphin II consistently increased GH secretion. Furthermore, peripheral administration of either morphine or the highly selective µ-agonist sufentanil elicited marked GH secretion on postnatal day 20, but only combined administration of the µ-antagonist β-funaltrexamine (β-FNA) and the δ-antagonist naltrindole substantially diminished these responses. These results suggest that both µ- and ĸ-opioid receptors are involved in the regulation of GH secretion in neonatal rats. While δ-receptors do not play a prominent independent role in this response, they may act synergistically with µ-receptors in producing stimulation.