title: Prophylactic effectiveness of suplatast tosilate in children with asthma symptoms in the autumn: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Exacerbations of bronchial asthma usually occur in the autumn. To our knowledge, however, the effectiveness of drugs for preventing exacerbations of asthma in the autumn has not been studied previously, except for leukotriene receptor antagonists and Omalizmab.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study compared the prophylactic effectiveness of suplatast tosilate with that of mequitazine in children with asthma symptoms, which is usually exacerbated in the autumn. The study group comprised 27 children aged 2 to 15 years who required treatment for asthmatic attacks during the past year and tested positive at least for mite allergen in the preceding autumn. The subjects were randomly assigned to receive either suplatast or mequitazine. The primary endpoint of this study was the number of days without symptoms during the 8 weeks of treatment. In addition, the Japanese Pediatric Asthma Control Program (JPAC) scores were also recorded every 2 weeks in each group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 14 patients received suplatast, and 13 received mequitazine for 8 weeks from September through early October. During follow-up, the number of days without symptoms and the total JPAC scores did not differ significantly between the groups. However, as compared with weeks 1 to 2 of treatment, the mean number of days without symptoms during weeks 7 to 8 increased significantly in only the suplatast group (8.6 vs. 11.5 days; p = 0.004).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that short-term additional treatment with suplatast is useful for preventing asthma symptoms in children with asthma, which is usually exacerbated in the autumn.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigemi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yoshihara
authors.affiliation: Tsuchiya Children's Hospital, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan.
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.affiliation: Tsuchiya Children's Hospital, Saitama, Japan.
authors.forename: Takayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.affiliation: Nogi Hospital, Tochigi, Japan.
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.affiliation: Grimm Pediatric and Allergy Clinic, Tochigi, Japan.
authors.forename: Norimasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.affiliation: Nishikata Hospital, Tochigi, Japan.
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kanno
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Dokkyo Medical University, Tochigi, Japan.
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Arisaka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001190:Arylsulfonates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018890:Chemoprevention; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012621:Seasons; D013452:Sulfonium Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D001190:Arylsulfonates; D013452:Sulfonium Compounds; C073028:suplatast tosilate