title: Effect of oral administration of a prostacyclin analog (OP-41483) on pulmonary function and bronchial responsiveness in stable asthmatic subjects.
abstract: To examine whether prostacyclin has an attenuating effect on nonspecific bronchial responsiveness in asthma, we measured provocative concentration of methacholine producing a 20% fall in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (PC20-FEV1) before and after oral administration of a chemically stable prostacyclin analog (OP-41483) (200 micrograms 4 times a day for 4 days) in 8 patients with stable asthma. Neither baseline pulmonary function nor PC20-FEV1 significantly improved after the treatment. These results suggest that prostacyclin may have no direct effect on bronchial responsiveness in asthmatics. Further studies using more potent and long-lasting prostacyclin mimetic will be needed to confirm the conclusion.
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Internal Medicine, Kanazawa University, School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujimura
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuda
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine; D000284:Administration, Oral; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011465:Prostaglandins, Synthetic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D011465:Prostaglandins, Synthetic; D011464:Epoprostenol; C035847:ataprost; D000109:Acetylcholine