Science / Medicine : Spray an Asthma Aid, Study Says

An experimental spray may help prevent some asthma attacks, offering scientists a clue to the cause of the disease and possibly new ways to treat the disorder. Researchers at the University of Siena in Italy report that a spray containing the drug furosemide appeared to reduce the severity of asthma attacks among 11 asthmatics in a new study.

The findings are interesting, but it is too early to tell whether the substance offers an effective treatment for asthma, which affects about 10 million Americans, the researchers said.

“Whether inhaled furosemide might be useful in the treatment of allergic asthma is uncertain and will require further study,” the researchers wrote in reporting their findings in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Dr. Robert Mellins of the American Lung Assn. was cautious.

“It’s intriguing, exciting and interesting to think about, but off the top of my head I’d want to see more work done before jumping to clinical application,” Mellins said.