Adults and children with asthma can exercise better control over asthma with inhaled corticosteroids than cromolyn, according to a study conducted by James Guevara, M.D., of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and colleagues.

During this study, comparisons were made between the two treatment options, inhaled corticosteroids and cromolyn, to find the better of the two.

From News.Bio-Medicine.Org:

Cromolyn’s manufacturer has changed several times during the past two decades, which may also explain why the drug’s popularity has waned, Storms said. The succession of companies “did not spend one dollar in research in the past 20 years to study cromolyn. All of the data are old and most are forgotten,” he said.

The Cochrane reviewers examined 17 studies involving 1279 children and eight studies involving 321 adults with asthma. They found no differences in serious side effects between those using the steroids and those using cromolyn, but acknowledge that adverse effects were reported inconsistently.

Guevara and colleagues conclude that inhaled corticosteroids were superior to cromolyn regardless of the severity of the asthma. They suggest the results are so decisive that future studies comparing the two types of drugs “may not be warranted.”

It was also found during the study that adult and young asthma patients had three fewer severe asthma flare-ups each year on an average with inhaled steroids (such as the brand names Pulmicort, Flovent, and Beclovent) as against inhaled cromolyn, sold under the brand name Intal.

The study was also suggestive to conclude that both young and adult asthmatic patients being administered with steroids scored significantly higher on the tests of lung function along with making less use of asthma inhalers than those being administered with cromolyn.