title: Pranlukast, a cysteinyl leukotriene antagonist, reduces serum eosinophil cationic protein levels in patients with asthma.
abstract: Cysteinyl leukotrienes (cysLTs) are considered to be important mediators involved in bronchial asthma and the ensuing eosinophilic inflammation. We evaluated the effects of pranlukast, a potent and selective cysLT receptor antagonist, on the clinical course and serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels of 10 asthmatic patients. A four-week administration of pranlukast increased the morning peak expiratory flow (PEF) (p = 0.007) and decreased as-needed beta 2-agonist use (p = 0.021). Changes in the morning PEF inversely correlated with those in the serum ECP levels (r = -0.80, p = 0.0057). These results suggest that cysLTs are important mediators involved in eosinophilic inflammation, a major pathophysiologic feature of bronchial asthma in humans.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishioka
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hozawa
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Haruta
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hiyama
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamakido
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002867:Chromones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D012260:Ribonucleases
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D001798:Blood Proteins; D002867:Chromones; D047091:Eosinophil Granule Proteins; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists; D012260:Ribonucleases; C047681:pranlukast