HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Guest Access | Sign In via User Name/Password

This Article Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Personal Article Archive Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (11) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gong, H. Articles by Clark, K. W. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gong, H., Jr. Articles by Clark, K. W.

Anti-inflammatory and Lung Function Effects of Montelukast in Asthmatic Volunteers Exposed to Sulfur Dioxide^*

^* From the Environmental Health Service (Mss. Terrell and Anderson, and Mr. Clark), Rancho Los Amigos, National Rehabilitation Center, Downey, CA; and the Departments of Medicine (Dr. Gong) and Preventive Medicine (Mr. Linn), Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA.

Correspondence to: Henry Gong, Jr., MD, FCCP, 51 Medical Science Building, Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, 7601 East Imperial Hwy, Downey, CA 90242; e-mail: hgong{at}dhs.co.la.ca.us

Background: Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) gas may induce acute asthmatic responses when inhaled by individuals in the setting of community or occupational air pollution during exercise. Some asthma medications mitigate the SO₂ response, which is not fully understood but appears to involve multiple mechanisms.

Objective: We tested the hypothesis that pretreatment with the cysteinyl-leukotriene inhibitor montelukast sodium protects against the inflammatory and bronchoconstrictive effects of SO₂ in the airways of asthmatic subjects.

Methods: Asthmatic volunteers (enrolled, 12 subjects; completed study, 11 subjects) were exposed to 0.75 ppm SO₂ for 10-min periods during exercise (mean ventilation, 35 L/min) and were exposed similarly to filtered air (control condition) after double-blinded pretreatments with montelukast (10 mg/d for 3 days) and placebo.

Results: After montelukast pretreatment, specific airways resistance, FEV₁, symptoms, and eosinophil counts in induced sputum showed statistically and clinically significant improvements in preexposure measurements and/or decreased responses to SO₂ exposure or exercise. The mean FEV₁ immediately after exposure was 95% of baseline FEV₁ with montelukast pretreatment vs 82% with placebo.

Conclusion: Montelukast significantly protects against airways eosinophilic inflammation and bronchoconstriction from SO₂ exposure during exercise. This implies a role for leukotrienes in SO₂-induced lung effects.

Key Words: air pollutants • airway resistance • asthma • leukotrienes • montelukast • spirometry • sputum induction • sulfur dioxide

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Gaga, N. Papageorgiou, E. Zervas, D. Gioulekas, and S. Konstantopoulos Control of Asthma Under Specialist Care: Is It Achieved? Chest, July 1, 2005; 128(1): 78 - 84. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I.E. Zuhlke, F. Kanniess, K. Richter, D. Nielsen-Gode, S. Bohme, R.A. Jorres, and H. Magnussen Montelukast attenuates the airway response to hypertonic saline in moderate-to-severe COPD Eur. Respir. J., December 1, 2003; 22(6): 926 - 930. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]