A new insight into aspirin-induced asthma.
In about 10% of adult patients with asthma, aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs precipitate attacks of dyspnoea. Accumulated evidence shows that these reactions are due to the interference of aspirin-like drugs with arachidonic acid metabolism in the lungs of the sensitive patients: inhibition of cyclooxygenase is accompanied by overproduction of cysteinyl leukotrienes. The mechanisms of these reactions and the characteristic course of aspirin-induced asthma and its management are discussed.
Jawien
J
J
Jagellonian University School of Medicine, Krakow, Poland. mmjawien@cyf-kr.edu.pl
D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000502:physiology; D005062:European Union; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008084:Lipoxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000378:metabolism
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D008084:Lipoxygenase; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; C041116:leukotriene-C4 synthase; D001241:Aspirin