No abstract

No abstract

These results suggest that IAT is useful for patients with mild acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma and is safe if serum theophylline concentrations are measured.

To determine the anti-inflammatory actions of pranlukast, a cysteinyl leuklotriene receptor antagonist, we measured exhaled nitric oxide (NO) concentrations and eosinophil ratio in induced sputum of three groups of mild asthmatics (n = 30): treated with bronchodilators alone, with bronchodilators and inhaled steroid (beclomethasone dipropionate; 400 microg/day), and bronchodilators and pranlukast (450 mg/day). Pranlukast (450 mg/day) reduced the eosinophil ratio in the induced sputum significantly (p < 0.01) without a major effect on the concentration of exhaled NO. Pranlukast also increased values of peak expiratory flow significantly (p < 0.05). Pranlukast may be useful for mild asthmatics, in part through its ability to suppress eosinophilic airway infiltration.