Ratio of Leukotriene E4 to Exhaled Nitric Oxide and the Therapeutic Response in Children With Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction

• Published in: Allergy, asthma & immunology research 2013, Asthma & Immunology Research, 5(1), , pp.26-33
• Main Authors: Baek, Hey-Sung, Cho, Juhwan, Kim, Joo-Hwa, Oh, Jae-Won, Lee, Ha-Baik
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Original; 내과학
• ISSN: 2092-7355; 2092-7363
• DOI: 10.4168/aair.2013.5.1.26

Purpose: This study assessed the association between the ratio of leukotriene E4 (LTE4) to fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) in the response ofchildren with exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) enrolled in a therapeutic trial with montelukast or inhaled corticosteroid (fluticasone propionate[FP]). Methods: Children aged 6 to 18 years with EIB were randomized in a 4-week, placebo-controlled, double-blinded trial with montelukastor FP. Before and after treatment, treadmill exercise challenges were performed. The LTE4 levels in the induced sputum and urine and the FENO levelswere measured in subjects before and 30 minutes after the exercise challenges. The same tests were conducted after treatment. Results: A totalof 24 patients completed the study: 12 in the montelukast group and 12 in FP group. Both study groups displayed a similar postexercise maximumdecrease in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) before treatment as well as after treatment. However, there were significant differencesin the magnitude of change between the two (Δ; -18.38±14.53% vs. -4.67±8.12% for the montelukast and FP groups, respectively; P=0.021). TheΔ logarithmic sputum baseline and postexercise LTE4/FENO ratio were significantly lower in the montelukast group than in the FP group (baseline;-0.09±0.21 vs. -0.024±0.03, P=0.045; postexercise, -0.61±0.33 vs. -0.11±0.28, P=0.023). Conclusions: These data indicate that the efficacyof montelukast for preventing a maximum decrease in FEV1 after exercise is significantly higher than that of FP, and the high LTE4/FENO ratio is associatedwith a greater response to montelukast than to FP for EIB therapy. These results suggest that LTE4 may play an important role in EIB. KCI Citation Count: 7