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Published on: November 4, 2010
[Therapeutic effects of an antileukotriene in children with moderate-severe persistent asthma]
María Magdalena Cuevas Hernández1, Rosa María Arias Hernández
1Hospital Pediátrico Docente de Centro Habana, Servicio de Alergología, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba. asimonc@infomed.sld.cu
Insights
Zafirlukast offers a safe and effective preventive treatment for moderate-severe asthma in children, improving clinical symptoms and reducing the need for oral steroids. This study highlights its utility and well-tolerated profile in pediatric asthma management.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Asthma is a chronic airway inflammatory disease involving multiple cellular components.
- Conventional preventive treatments may not be satisfactory for all moderate-to-severe pediatric asthma cases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of zafirlukast, a leukotriene receptor antagonist, in pediatric asthma patients.
- To assess the safety and tolerability of zafirlukast as a preventive asthma therapy in children.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 50 children (12-16 years) with moderate-to-severe asthma inadequately controlled by standard treatment.
- Zafirlukast administered at 20 mg every 12 hours for 12 weeks, with laboratory monitoring of hepatic, renal, and hematologic functions.
- Clinical follow-up at 4, 8, and 12 weeks to assess symptom evolution, adverse reactions, and concomitant medication use.
Main Results:
- Significant clinical improvement observed in 88% of pediatric patients treated with zafirlukast.
- Reduced reliance on oral steroids and only 8% (4 patients) reported adverse reactions, which resolved upon discontinuation.
- Laboratory parameters (hemoglobin, hematocrit, creatinine, TGP) remained within normal limits post-treatment.
Conclusions:
- Preventive treatment with zafirlukast is a beneficial and well-tolerated option for pediatric asthma.
- Zafirlukast represents a promising new therapeutic avenue for managing asthma in children.
- The study supports the utility of zafirlukast in improving outcomes for pediatric asthma patients.
Background:
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, in which participate many cells and cellular elements.
Objective:
To assess the utility of the zafirlukast, an antagonist of the receivers of the leukotrienes, in asthmatic children of our environment and to evaluate the grade of safety of the medication in the preventive treatment of the asthma.
Material And Methods:
We selected 50 moderate-severe asthmatic children, between 12 and 16 years (of both sexes) with non satisfactory evolution, in spite of the conventional preventive treatment for the asthma. Zafirlukast were given in dose of 20 mg every 12 hours, far from the foods, during 12 weeks. We carried out laboratory studies, before and after the treatment, evaluating the hematic (Hb and Hto), renal (creatinine) and hepatic (TGP) functions. They were continued in allergy consultation at the 4, 8, and 12 weeks of treatment, to know their clinical evolution, the apparition of adverse reactions and the use of other asthmatic medications in the period of the treatment.
Results:
The 88% of the children improved clinically. The patients decreased the use of oral steroids and only 4 adverse reactions (8%) were reported, with total regression of the symptoms when suppressing the medication. The averages of the laboratory results, before and after the treatment, reflected values into the established normal limits, Hb: 12.4 (before) and 12.1 g/L (later), creatinine: 63.2 and 67.1 mMol/1 and TGP: 2.1 and 3.6 units.
Conclusions:
We observed in our study that the preventive treatment with Zafirlukast is useful and well tolerated, representing a new expectation for the asthma, in pediatric ages.
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