title: Inhibition of common cold-induced aggravation of childhood asthma by leukotriene receptor antagonists.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Virus infection is an important risk factor for aggravation of childhood asthma. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of drugs on aggravation of asthma induced by a common cold.
  
  
  METHODS
  Asthma control was examined in a survey of 1,014 Japanese pediatric patients with bronchial asthma. The occurrence of common cold, asthma control, and drugs used for asthma control were investigated using a modified Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT) for patients aged <4 years old and 4 to 11 years old, and an Asthma Control Test (ACT) for patients aged 12 to 15 years old.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The status of asthma control did not differ among the age groups. The prevalence of common cold and aggravation of asthma were significantly higher in patients aged <4 years old. Control of asthma following common cold-induced aggravation was significantly less effective in patients aged <4 years old compared to those aged ≥4 years old. In patients aged <4 years old with a common cold, asthma control was significantly more effective for those treated with leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs) compared to treatment without LTRAs. Asthma control did not differ between patients who did or did not take inhaled corticosteroids or long-acting β2 stimulants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings showed a high prevalence of common cold in younger patients with childhood asthma and indicated that common cold can induce aggravation of asthma. LTRAs are useful for long-term asthma control in very young patients who develop an asthma attack due to a common cold.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Dokkyo Medical University, 880 Kitakobayashi, Mibumachi,Shimotsuga-gun, Tochigi, Japan.shigemi@dokkyomed.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shigemi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshihara
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kanno
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Arisaka
mesh_terms: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003139:Common Cold / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists