Efficacy and safety of montelukast as monotherapy in children with mild persistent asthma

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Gautam Ghosh1, Arun Kumar Manglik, Subhasis Roy

  • 1Shree Jain Hospital and Research Center, Howrah, West Bengal, India. ghoshped@cal3.vsnl.net.in

Indian Pediatrics
|October 13, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Montelukast effectively improved asthma symptoms and lung function in children with mild persistent asthma over 12 weeks. This study demonstrates montelukast

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Pharmacology
  • Clinical Medicine

Background:

  • Mild persistent bronchial asthma affects children, requiring effective and safe treatment options.
  • Montelukast is a leukotriene receptor antagonist used for asthma management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of montelukast as a standalone therapy for mild persistent asthma in children.
  • To assess clinical outcomes, lung function, and side effects of montelukast treatment.

Main Methods:

  • An open-label, non-comparative, prospective study was conducted over 12 months.
  • Fifty children aged 3-11 years with mild persistent asthma received montelukast (4mg or 5mg) for 12 weeks.
  • Efficacy was measured by clinical scores, peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR), spirometry, and reliever medication use.

Main Results:

  • Significant improvements in clinical scores for activity, wheeze, and cough were observed after 4 and 12 weeks (p >0.001).
  • Peak expiratory flow rates and FEV1/FVC ratios showed significant improvement after 12 weeks of therapy.
  • Mild side effects, including anorexia, elevated liver function tests, and headache, were reported in 19 out of 50 children.

Conclusions:

  • Montelukast monotherapy demonstrated significant clinical improvement in children with mild persistent asthma.
  • The treatment was generally well-tolerated, with a low incidence of mild adverse effects.
Abstract

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