title: Effect of zafirlukast on methacholine and ultrasonically nebulized distilled water challenge in patients with mild asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness due to the release of multiple mediators, such as cysteinyl-leukotrienes (cys-LTs).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our study was designed to investigate whether oral pretreatment with zafirlukast (a cys-LTs receptor antagonist) reduces bronchoconstriction against methacholine (MC) and ultrasonically nebulized distilled water (UNDW) challenge in patients with mild asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen non-atopic patients (8 males, 20-42 years, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) 97% SD +/- 0.4) with mild, intermittent bronchial asthma performed a sequential weekly pulmonary function test following challenge with MC or UNDW 2 h after zafirlukast or placebo administration, according to a single-blind method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that pretreatment with zafirlukast significantly decreased bronchoconstriction MC (maximum FEV(1) drop -10.75% SD +/- 1.89, p < 0.001) and UNDW induced (maximum FEV(1) drop -12% SD +/- 0.15, p < 0.001), while pretreatment with placebo did not protect patients against FEV(1) drop following MC (maximum FEV(1) drop -33.22% SD +/- 1.42, p < 0.001) and UNDW challenge (maximum FEV(1) drop -30.02% SD +/- 0.4, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pretreatment with zafirlukast significantly reduced bronchoconstriction against MC and UNDW challenge in individuals with mild intermittent asthma, indicating that cys-LTs receptor antagonists might be useful as preventive therapy in these patients population.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of Tennessee, Memphis, TN 38163, USA. pierocarratu@yahoo.com
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carratù
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Morelli
authors.forename: A X
authors.initials: AX
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pugazhenthi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Umberger
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Allegra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D016084:Bronchoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D048448:Phenylcarbamates; D013449:Sulfonamides; D014105:Tosyl Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D007211:Indoles; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists; D048448:Phenylcarbamates; D013449:Sulfonamides; D014105:Tosyl Compounds; C062735:zafirlukast