Effect ofEarly vsLateIntervention With Inhaled Corticosteroids inAsthma

acorrelation remaining also after correcting forbase¬ lineairway function. Nocorrelation was foundbe¬ tweentheageofthepatients orearlier regular use of p2-agonists andimprovements inairway function. The results give some evidence thatearly treatmentof asthma with an inhaled steroid mayprevent patients fromdeveloping chronic airway obstruction. They also support currentasthma treatment guidelines advocat¬ ingearly introduction ofinhaled anti-inflammatory drugs. (CHEST 1995; 108:1228-34)