Effects of oral montelukast on airway function in acute asthma

• Published in: Respiratory medicine 2003-05, Vol.97 (5), p.533-536
• Main Authors: ÇÝLLÝ, A, KARA, A, ÖZDEMIR, T, ÖĞÜŞ, C, GÜLKESEN, K.H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetates - administration & dosage; Acetates - therapeutic use; acute asthma; Acute Disease; Administration, Oral; Aged; airway function; Anti-Asthmatic Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-Asthmatic Agents - therapeutic use; Asthma - drug therapy; Asthma - physiopathology; Biological and medical sciences; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Glucocorticoids - therapeutic use; Humans; Leukotriene Antagonists - administration & dosage; Leukotriene Antagonists - therapeutic use; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; montelukast; Peak Expiratory Flow Rate - drug effects; Pneumology; Prednisolone - therapeutic use; Quinolines - administration & dosage; Quinolines - therapeutic use; Single-Blind Method
• ISSN: 0954-6111; 1532-3064
• DOI: 10.1053/rmed.2003.1479

Montelukast, a specific cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist, has been shown to improve pulmonary function within 1 h of ingestion. This study was undertaken to compare the effects on peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) of oral montelukast added to intravenous steroid, intravenous steroid alone and placebo during the 24 h period following administration. Seventy asthmatic patients (FEV 1 40–80% predicted and \ge15% improvement after inhaled β agonist) were enrolled in a single blind study to receive oral montelukast (10 mg) plus intravenous prednisolone (1 mg/kg), intravenous prednisolone (1 mg/kg) or placebo in a randomised fashion. The patients received one of the above three groups of medication before any other treatments. This was immediately followed by the aerosol treatments of 100 mcg of terbutaline sulphate divided into three doses during 1 h as described in the consensus statement. Thereafter, patients were observed for 24 h to document the effects on PEFR, Borg dyspnoea score and need for rescue medication. The primary end point was percentage change at different time points. Secondary end points were Borg dyspnoea score and use of rescue medication. Compared with placebo, montelukast added to the prednisolone group and the prednisolone alone group had significant percentage change from baseline in PEFR in the entire 24 h period ( P