Role of Leukotriene Antagonists in the Treatment of Asthma Exacerbations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47363/JCCEM/2023(2)124Keywords:
Asthma, Chronic, Airways, LeukotrieneAbstract
Background: Asthma is a condition known for symptoms like wheezing and breathing problems. Asthma exacerbations, which are episodes of deteriorating asthma symptoms and lung function, continue to be the most common causes of patient hospitalization. These exacerbations are frequently treated with a variety of drugs, including corticosteroids, inhaled bronchodilators such as beta-2 agonists, and anticholinergics. Mast cells and eosinophils produce a substance called leukotriene, which causes vascular leakage and other inflammatory responses that result in airway edema and remodeling. Leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRA), such as Montelukast, in addition to being used in managing chronic asthma, have been shown to be effective in treating asthma attacks.
Methods: PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar, and other online database resources were screened until January 2023. 512 articles about asthma exacerbation and its management were found, of which 10 were included in our review article.
Results: A previous study on 117 children aged 2–5 years found no significant difference in improving peak expiratory flow in asthma exacerbation treatment between the Montelukast and placebo groups. In another study on 93 children randomly assigned to the montelukast or no-controller group, montelukast was beneficial in asthma treatment.
Regarding adults, there was no difference between oral montelukast and traditional treatment for managing acute asthma attacks in a study of 100 patients, most of whom were nonsmokers and female. In another study consisting of five double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials, Zafirlukast has been shown to successfully reduce the risk of asthma exacerbations when used as a control medication in patients with mild to moderate asthma.
Conclusions: More research is needed to identify the treatment that is most effective in controlling exacerbations and preventing the irreversible changes in the patient’s airways that are linked to asthma.
