מתוך medicontext.co.il
By David Douglas
WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) – Treatment with zafirlukast for 1 week gives cat-sensitive asthmatics significant protection against asthma symptoms and changes in pulmonary function following exposure to the animals.
Dr. Jonathan Corren of Allergy Research Foundation Inc., Los Angeles, and colleagues note that leukotriene receptor antagonists such as zafirlukast have been shown to be effective against nebulized allergen challenge. "However," the researchers write, "it is unknown whether these drugs modulate airway inflammation after exposure to allergen in a natural setting."
The researchers report in the September issue of the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology that to investigate, they conducted a double-blind crossover study of 18 cat-sensitive asthmatics who were randomized to 1 week of treatment with zafirlukast 20 mg twice daily or placebo.
At the end of each of these periods, the subjects spent time in a cat challenge room in which two animals were housed. The cats were caged when the study subjects were present, but at other times they were free to move around the room, which was carpeted and contained a futon and an upholstered chair.
Zafirlukast significantly improved prechallenge baseline lung function (FEV1) and attenuated the decrease in FEV1 induced by cat challenge. There also was a significant reduction in lower airway symptoms, but no reduction in nasal symptoms or the level of sputum inflammatory cells or eosinophil cationic protein.
"For some patients with cat-induced asthma, occasional exposure to cats is unavoidable," Dr. Corren pointed out in an interview with Reuters Health. "For this group of patients, use of a leukotriene receptor antagonist, such as zafirlukast, will help lessen the intensity of acute asthmatic reactions." However, he added, "astute avoidance is still by far the best policy."
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