title: Montelukast reduces asthma exacerbations in 2- to 5-year-old children with intermittent asthma.
abstract: The PREVIA study was designed to investigate the role of montelukast, a leukotriene receptor antagonist, in the prevention of viral-induced asthma exacerbations in children aged 2 to 5 years with a history of intermittent asthma symptoms. The study was a 12-month multicenter, double-blind, parallel-group study of patients with asthma exacerbations associated with respiratory infections and minimal symptoms between episodes. Patients were randomized to receive oral montelukast 4 or 5 mg (depending on age) (n = 278) or placebo (n = 271) once per day for 12 months. Caregivers recorded children's symptoms, beta-agonist use, and health care resource use in a diary card. Over 12 months of therapy, montelukast significantly reduced the rate of asthma exacerbations by 31.9% compared with placebo. The average rate of exacerbation episodes per patient was 1.60 episodes per year on montelukast compared with 2.34 episodes on placebo. Montelukast also delayed the median time to first exacerbation by approximately 2 months (p = 0.024), and the rate of inhaled corticosteroid courses (p = 0.027) compared with placebo. Montelukast effectively reduced asthma exacerbations in 2- to 5-year-old patients with intermittent asthma over 12 months of treatment and was generally well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Copenhagen University Hospital, DK-2920 Gentofte, Copenhagen, Denmark. Bisgaard@copsac.dk
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bisgaard
authors.forename: Stefen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zielen
authors.forename: María Luz
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Garcia-Garcia
authors.forename: Sebastian L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Leen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gilles
authors.forename: Joris
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Menten
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Tozzi
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Polos
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011804:Quinolines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013440:Sulfides; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D011804:Quinolines; D013440:Sulfides; C093875:montelukast