Guideline topic: Pharmacological management of asthma
Evidence table 4.3b: Ketotifen for exercise-induced asthma

Author

Year

Study type

Quality rating

Population

Outomes measured

Effect size

Confidence intervals / p values

Comments

Dorward¹

1982

Randomised, single blind, placebo controlled, cross-over. Single dosing with ketotifen 2mg. Sodium cromoglycate 120mg, ipratropium 120ug, clemastine 1.2mg.

+

7 patients with asthma, aged 11-35 years

Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction

% fall in FEV1:

Placebo: 47%

Ketotifen: 39%

Clemastine: 27%

Ipratropium: 23%

Cromoglycate: 7%

NS

p< 0.05

p< 0.05

p< 0.01

Ketotifen was no better than placebo in preventing EIA, in contrast to clemastine, ipratropium and sodium cromoglycate.

Petheram²

1981

Randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled, cross-over.

Single-dosing with ketotifen 1mg. 2mg and 4mg.

+

12 adults with asthma

Mean age 27 years

Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction

% fall in FEV1

% fall in PEF

% fall in V50

No idfferences between ketotifen and placebo

NS

Ketotifen did not prevent EIA compared to placebo.

Tanser³

1980

Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over.

3 day treatment with ketotifen 1mg bd or placebo

++

17 asthma patients aged 14-60 years

Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction % fall in PEF:

Placebo: 15%

Ketotifen: 18%

NS

No significant effect of ketotifen detected in preventing EIA/