title: Montelukast decreased exhaled nitric oxide in children with perennial allergic rhinitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Measurement of exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) is a simple and noninvasive method for assessment of inflammatory airway diseases. eNO is elevated in adolescent patients with perennial allergic rhinitis and related to bronchial hyperresponsiveness. The aim of this study was to investigate whether oral loratadine, montelukast, nasal budesonide or nasal sodium cromoglycate could reduce airway inflammation as indicated by decrease of eNO in children with perennial allergic rhinitis as demonstrated by eNO levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized and investigator-blinded study was conducted in a hospital-based outpatient clinic. Children with perennial allergic rhinitis were divided into four groups and treated by loratadine, loratadine with nasal sodium cromoglycate, loratadine with oral montelukast, and loratadine with nasal budesonide, respectively. Allergic rhinitis scores, eNO and peak expiratory flow were measured before and 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed that eNO in children with perennial allergic rhinitis was reduced by nasal budesonide and oral montelukast within 2 weeks (24.56 +/- 14.42 vs 18.42 +/- 12.48, P < 0.001, in budesonide group; 27.81 +/- 13.4 vs 19.09 +/- 10.45, P < 0.001, in montelukast group), but not in the loratadine and cromoglycate groups. In contrast, loratadine or sodium cromoglycate also did not decrease eNO levels although they could decrease the symptom scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was concluded that four common treatment modalities could effectively release symptom scores, but decrease of airway inflammation as determined by decrease of eNO might be only achieved by nasal budesonide and montelukast, but not nasal sodium cromoglycate and loratadine. Children with perennial allergic rhinitis with high eNO levels may require oral montelukast or nasal budesonide treatment to prevent airway hyperresponsiveness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Chung-Ho Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. pedhung@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Chih-Hsing
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Yi-Ming
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Wan-Ting
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Yuan-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Kuender D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yuh-Jyh
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jong
authors.forename: Yu-Te
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001944:Breath Tests; D019819:Budesonide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004205:Cromolyn Sodium / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017336:Loratadine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate / Q000502:physiology; D011804:Quinolines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013440:Sulfides; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists; D011804:Quinolines; D013440:Sulfides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019819:Budesonide; D017336:Loratadine; C093875:montelukast; D004205:Cromolyn Sodium