title: Effect of Zafirlukast on improving lung function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is little evidence about the role of Zafirlukast (a highly selective LTD4 antagonist) in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The Zafirlukast can reduce the need for short-acting rescue β2 agonists, produce fewer exacerbations of asthma and increased quality of life as possible benefits treatment for asthma. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of Zafirlukast improvement of lung function in patients with COPD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty five patients with moderate to severe COPD, in stable phase of the disease, participated in this interventional, quasi-experimental study. All patients were received 40mg oral Zafirlukast per day for 2 weeks. Pulmonary function Test was performed both at the baseline and at the end of the study. Data were analyzed with paired t-test using SPSS v.16.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the patients was 67.29 (SD=5.56) years with the mean baseline for forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1) equal to 41.79% (SD=14.96) of predicted value. After 2 weeks, the mean improvements in forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1 and FEV1/FVC were 4.75% (SD=13.18), 3.71% (SD=9.19) and 9.33(SD=27.08), respectively. Zafirlukast produced a non-significant (p>0.05) bronchodilation, with maximum mean increase in FEV1 of 0.04 lit (3%) above baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results showed that Zafirlukast has no considerable bronchodilatory effect in COPD. Present study consisted of a very short treatment period and it is possible that the extension of this period could possibly have more effects. Additional larger studies are needed to verify the impact of leukoterien receptor antagonists on improving the lung function in COPD patients.
authors.affiliation: Associated Professor, Pulmonologist, Rasoul-e-Akram Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. dr_moosavi_@yahoo.ca.
authors.forename: Seyed Ali Javad
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Moosavi
authors.forename: Hanieh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Raji
authors.forename: Baharak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tasorian
authors.forename: Elyas
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mostafapour
authors.forename: Shahab
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shahabi
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Purfakharan
authors.forename: Seyed-Mohammad
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Fereshtehnejad
keywords: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); Pulmonary Function Test; Zafirlukast