Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Lidocaine can promote the apoptosis of eosinophils, which is normally delayed by IL-5; it has a good effect on serious steroid resistant asthma (SRA). The study aimed to explore the effect of nebulized lidocaine inhalation on asthma.
METHODS: It was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled and prospective study. A total of 36 patients with acute asthma were divided into groups A₁, A₂, B₁ and B₂, with 9 patients in each group. The patients of groups A₁ and A₂ had steroid resistant asthma (SRA) and those of groups B₁ and B₂ had steroid sensitive asthma (SSA). Patients in groups A₂ and B₁ were administered nebulized lidocaine in addition to routine treatment, while patients in groups A₁ and B₂ were given nebulized normal saline apart from routine treatment and served as placebo-controlled groups.
RESULTS: There were significant differences in heart rate, respiratory rate, and peak flow rate and forced expiratory volume in one second between the experimental groups and the placebo-controlled groups. There was no significant difference between groups A₂ and B₁, and between A₁ and B₂.
CONCLUSION: Inhaled lidocaine is beneficial to asthma patients, especially those with steroid-resistant asthma.

Key words: Asthma, Lidocaine, Treatment