title: Comparative evaluation of the leukotriene receptor antagonist pranlukast versus the steroid inhalant fluticasone in the therapy of aged patients with mild bronchial asthma.
abstract: A comparative study was conducted in elderly subjects with mild bronchial asthma to investigate the clinical usefulness of monotherapy with a leukotriene receptor antagonist in comparison to an inhaled corticosteroid. A total of 41 elderly patients aged 65 years or older with mild bronchial asthma, classified as being in severity step 1 and 2, were randomly assigned to the following two treatment groups: a pranlukast (CAS 103177-37-3, Onon) treatment group of 21 patients and an inhaled corticosteroid treatment group of 20 patients. Patients of the former group received pranlukast 450 mg daily and those of the latter group received fluticasone (CAS 90566-53-3) 200 microg daily for eight weeks. In the reference group, one patient was found to suffer from oral candidiasis 4 weeks after the start of the study. Therefore the evaluation was conducted on the remaining 19 participants. The evaluation parameters examined were obtained by keeping an asthma diary, determinations of PEF (peek expiratory flow), use frequency of beta2 stimulants, changes in symptom scores, and medication compliance. Further, measured before and after therapy were the ratio of peripheral blood eosinophils counts, serum ECP (eosinophils cationic protein), ECP levels induced sputum, and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1.0). As a result, in the time-course changes of symptoms scores and morning PEF, swift improvement was noted in the pranlukast group. Further, in the variables such as use frequency of beta2 stimulants, serum ECP levels, ECP levels induced sputum, and FEV1.0, an almost comparable level of improvement to the fluticasone group was demonstrated. From the above results, it was deemed that in elderly patients with mild bronchial asthma classified as steps 1 and 2, the pranlukast monotherapy, with superior medication compliance to inhaled therapy, would produce an equivalent level of clinical efficacy to the monotherapy with inhaled corticosteroid (fluticasone 200 microg daily).
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Fujita Health University Second Hospital, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan. kokyu-2@fujita-hu.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takahiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Horiguchi
authors.forename: Soichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tachikawa
authors.forename: Rieko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
authors.forename: Mamoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shiga
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirose
authors.forename: Kashin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ohira
authors.forename: Toshinori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nasu
authors.forename: Yoichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Otake
authors.forename: Hideharu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hata
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D000730:Androstadienes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002867:Chromones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D000068298:Fluticasone; D006801:Humans; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D013183:Sputum / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D000730:Androstadienes; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D002867:Chromones; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists; D000068298:Fluticasone; C047681:pranlukast