Fluticasone propionate in clinically suspected asthma patients with negative methacholine challenge test

Introduction Despite reports of response to steroid inhaler in some clinically suspected asthma patients with negative methacholine challenge test (CSA/MCT−), treatment in these patients has not been prospectively studied. Objective We studied the role of a 12 week high dose inhaled fluticasone trial in CSA/MCT− patients. Methods After a 2 week run‐in period, CSA/MCT−patients were treated with 12 weeks of Fluticasone propionate 1000 µg/day. The Asthma Control Test (ACT), numeric cough score (NCS) and bronchodilator use were compared with their pretreatment values. Results Thirty‐four of 42 CSA/MCT−patients completed the study. Mean pretreatment ACT score (pACT) was significantly increased after treatment (14.7 ± 3.37 to 20.9 ± 3.1, P